Origins of the Taylor surname

What does the name Taylor mean?

An Anglo-French occupational surname, Taylor is thought to have arrived through the Norman occupation, derived from the Old French 'tailleur' (cutter of cloth) or English 'tailor'. The surname Taylor is common across the British Isles (fourth most common in the UK overall - fifth most common in England) and other countries traditionally colonised by the British, though far less common in Ireland (where it mostly exists only in Northern Ireland - potentially brought over by English and Scottish settlers). Taylor can sometimes be found as an anglicised version of the German word 'Schneider', a direct translation of the same term.

Alternative variations of the name Taylor

Taylor, Taylour, Tayler, Taller, Telfer

Start free trial
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Taylors.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Taylor family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 8637North West 6785Isle of Man 278Yorkshire 25751East Midlands 5813West Midlands 10797East 8384London 51914South East 13250South West 4514South Wales 2405Mid Wales 322West Wales 69North Wales 674Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Taylors lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Taylor

How common is your surname?

5th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Taylor surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Taylors most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Taylors.

What are the most common Taylor first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Taylor family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Taylors

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Taylors in 1921

Dressmaker

8,014

Cotton Weaver

7,386

Domestic Servant

4,728

Laundress

4,452

General Servant Domestic

3,953

Commmon male occupations for Taylors in 1921

Coal Miner

7,712

Agricultural Labourer

7,393

General Labourer

7,050

Farmer

5,582

Farm Labourer

4,357

We found over 1,300,000 family trees with the Taylor surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Taylors.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Taylor family members

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search