NameCensus.

UK surname

Taylor

An occupational surname referring to a tailor, one who makes, mends, or alters clothing.

In the 1881 census there were 191,142 people recorded with the Taylor surname, ranking it #5 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251,788, also still ranked #5.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Leeds and Oxford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Taylor is 262,669 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.7%.

1881 census count

191,142

Ranked #5

Modern count

251,788

2016, ranked #5

Peak year

1999

262,669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Taylor had 191,142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251,788 in 2016, ranked #5.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 238,772 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Taylor surname distribution map

The map shows where the Taylor surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Taylor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Taylor over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 126,672 #5
1861 historical 136,312 #5
1881 historical 191,142 #5
1891 historical 208,767 #5
1901 historical 238,103 #5
1911 historical 238,772 #4
1997 modern 251,920 #5
1998 modern 260,945 #5
1999 modern 262,669 #5
2000 modern 261,319 #5
2001 modern 254,351 #5
2002 modern 259,313 #5
2003 modern 252,353 #5
2004 modern 251,781 #5
2005 modern 247,202 #5
2006 modern 247,501 #5
2007 modern 249,534 #5
2008 modern 250,313 #5
2009 modern 255,601 #5
2010 modern 261,146 #5
2011 modern 256,923 #5
2012 modern 250,642 #5
2013 modern 255,345 #5
2014 modern 256,736 #5
2015 modern 253,477 #5
2016 modern 251,788 #5

Geography

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Where Taylors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Leeds, Oxford and Northumberland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Leeds 110 Leeds
3 Oxford 008 Oxford
4 Rossendale 002 Rossendale
5 Northumberland 006 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Taylor

These lists show first names that appear often with the Taylor surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Taylor

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Taylor, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Taylor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Taylor household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Taylor is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Taylor is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Taylor falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Taylor is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Taylor, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Taylor

The surname Taylor originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old French word "tailleur," meaning "tailor" or "cutter." The name was initially given to those who worked as tailors, dressmakers, or cloth cutters.

The earliest known record of the Taylor surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tallior." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, served as a survey of landowners and their properties in England.

In the 12th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Taylour, Taillour, and Taillur. These variations reflect the different spellings used during that time period. The name was also closely associated with specific locations, such as Taylor's Green in Essex and Taylor's Hill in Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Taylor surname was William le Taylur, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1275. Another notable figure was John Taylor, a prominent English theologian and reformer who lived from 1480 to 1554 and was known as the "Apostle of Repentance."

In the 16th century, the Taylor surname gained further prominence with the rise of the cloth trade in England. Individuals like John Taylor (1555-1616), a renowned English poet and writer, and Thomas Taylor (1576-1633), an English clergyman and translator, carried the name during this period.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several notable Taylors, including Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Bishop of Down and Connor, and John Taylor (1580-1653), a celebrated English poet and satirist known as the "Water Poet."

In the 18th century, the Taylor surname continued to be associated with various professions and fields. Edward Taylor (1642-1729) was an American poet and Puritan minister, while John Taylor (1703-1772) was an English classical scholar and prominent figure in the early days of British nonconformity.

Throughout history, the Taylor surname has been carried by numerous individuals from diverse backgrounds, reflecting its enduring presence and significance across various regions and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Taylor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Taylor surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 38,342 Taylors recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 38,342 1.73x
Yorkshire 22,512 1.22x
Middlesex 14,852 0.79x
Surrey 7,752 0.85x
Staffordshire 7,016 1.11x
Warwickshire 6,463 1.37x
Kent 5,348 0.84x
Cheshire 5,047 1.22x
Durham 4,817 0.87x
Derbyshire 4,295 1.47x
Lincolnshire 3,989 1.34x
Worcestershire 3,833 1.57x
Gloucestershire 3,751 1.02x
Lanarkshire 3,528 0.58x
Northumberland 3,399 1.22x
Nottinghamshire 3,204 1.27x
Essex 3,178 0.86x
Hampshire 3,100 0.81x
Aberdeenshire 2,648 1.53x
Sussex 2,482 0.79x
Devon 2,475 0.64x
Somerset 2,454 0.82x
Leicestershire 2,253 1.09x
Norfolk 2,020 0.70x
Suffolk 1,973 0.87x
Midlothian 1,825 0.73x
Angus 1,614 0.93x
Shropshire 1,521 0.94x
Berkshire 1,446 1.03x
Glamorgan 1,233 0.38x
Wiltshire 1,206 0.73x
Cambridgeshire 1,191 1.01x
Perthshire 1,154 1.38x
Oxfordshire 1,146 0.99x
Fife 1,110 1.00x
Herefordshire 1,082 1.41x
Northamptonshire 1,055 0.60x
Cumberland 1,036 0.64x
Hertfordshire 1,023 0.79x
Stirlingshire 945 1.37x
Renfrewshire 943 0.65x
Monmouthshire 881 0.65x
Ayrshire 864 0.62x
Bedfordshire 767 0.79x
Buckinghamshire 763 0.68x
Dorset 715 0.58x
Cornwall 657 0.31x
Westmorland 605 1.47x
Banffshire 581 1.50x
Kincardineshire 475 2.09x
Morayshire 335 1.15x
Orkney 319 1.55x
Caithness 286 1.12x
Dunbartonshire 280 0.56x
Flintshire 280 0.56x
Denbighshire 253 0.36x
Argyllshire 245 0.47x
Roxburghshire 223 0.66x
Inverness-shire 212 0.38x
Huntingdonshire 201 0.54x
Channel Islands 195 0.35x
West Lothian 171 0.61x
Isle of Man 150 0.43x
Royal Navy 149 0.67x
Dumfriesshire 147 0.36x
Rutland 128 0.93x
Ross-shire 121 0.24x
Clackmannanshire 118 0.76x
Buteshire 112 0.99x
Brecknockshire 110 0.29x
Pembrokeshire 108 0.18x
Berwickshire 103 0.46x
Kinross-shire 83 1.76x
Wigtownshire 72 0.29x
East Lothian 71 0.29x
Selkirkshire 68 0.40x
Montgomeryshire 65 0.15x
Radnorshire 51 0.34x
Kirkcudbrightshire 43 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 41 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 39 0.05x
Sutherland 33 0.23x
Peeblesshire 30 0.34x
Nairnshire 27 0.47x
Cardiganshire 24 0.05x
Anglesey 23 0.07x
Merionethshire 13 0.04x
Shetland 11 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 2,866 Taylors recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.01x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 2,866 4.01x
Birmingham 2,252 1.43x
Aston 1,943 1.50x
Islington London 1,514 0.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 1,311 2.71x
St Pancras London 1,300 0.86x
Manchester 1,255 1.26x
Lambeth 1,243 0.76x
Leeds 1,090 1.04x
Camberwell 1,009 0.85x
Govan 1,008 0.67x
Barony 973 0.64x
Hackney London 952 0.91x
Spotland 926 3.76x
Salford 855 1.31x
Newchurch 851 4.69x
Sheffield 847 1.44x
St Marylebone London 846 0.85x
Liverpool 840 0.62x
Nottingham St Mary 828 1.27x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 790 0.78x
Castleton 739 3.34x
Bury 730 2.88x
Kensington London 729 0.70x
Battersea 720 1.05x
Preston 707 1.19x
Hulme 691 1.49x
West Ham 664 0.82x
Golcar 644 13.16x
Toxteth Park 627 0.84x
Bethnal Green London 617 0.76x
Mile End Old Town 617 2.09x
Everton 608 0.86x
Leicester St Margaret 598 1.18x
Wigan 593 1.91x
Shoreditch London 591 0.73x
Dundee 589 0.91x
Stoke Upon Trent 587 0.88x
Portsea 576 0.77x
Brighton 575 0.90x
Glasgow 569 0.53x
Wolverhampton 561 1.16x
Bermondsey 556 1.00x
Paddington London 554 0.81x
Great Bolton 552 1.88x
Blackburn 535 0.91x
Little Bolton 535 1.88x
Bishopwearmouth 519 1.09x
West Derby 517 0.80x
Brightside Bierlow 504 1.39x
Newington 502 0.73x
Aberdeen Old Machar 494 1.37x
Walsall Foreign 492 1.51x
Chadderton 486 4.48x
Bradford 465 1.04x
Deptford St Paul 465 0.95x
West Bromwich 465 1.29x
Chorlton On Medlock 456 1.29x
Warrington 453 1.72x
Hunslet 447 1.55x
Newton 447 2.62x
Barton Upon Irwell 444 2.66x
Accrington 429 2.13x
Chelsea London 428 0.76x
Huddersfield 428 1.59x
St George Hanover 421 1.73x
Over Darwen 420 2.37x
Hammersmith London 411 0.89x
Ecclesall Bierlow 410 1.09x
Dudley 406 1.37x
Dukinfield 401 2.10x
Wardleworth 397 3.13x
Croydon 395 0.78x
Heap 395 3.36x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 390 1.20x
Radcliffe 376 3.52x
Kirkdale 375 1.01x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 372 1.08x
Butterworth 371 6.87x
Royton 364 5.37x
Rowley Regis 357 2.03x
Holy Trinity 348 0.78x
Bromley London 345 0.84x
Cheltenham 342 1.21x
North Meols 342 1.58x
Middleton In Oldham 340 5.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 338 0.90x
Gateshead 335 0.81x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Taylor surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 12,234
Elizabeth 6,907
Sarah 6,659
Ann 3,660
Jane 3,530
Alice 3,062
Ellen 2,753
Emma 2,594
Eliza 2,559
Annie 2,528
Hannah 2,165
Margaret 1,865
Emily 1,824
Martha 1,800
Harriet 1,120
Louisa 1,011
Maria 1,001
Florence 984
Charlotte 939
Fanny 909
Edith 898
Ada 856
Caroline 776
Clara 732
Catherine 693
Lucy 665
Kate 625
Agnes 616
Frances 609
Isabella 607
Anne 566
Susan 554
Esther 519
Harriett 485
Rose 451
Amelia 433
Rebecca 379
Matilda 357
Susannah 350
Betsy 339
Elizth. 335
Betty 328
Minnie 322
Eleanor 313
Sophia 313
Amy 306
Ruth 291
Jessie 283
Julia 275
Lydia 272

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Taylor surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 10,636
William 10,587
George 6,165
James 6,020
Thomas 5,627
Joseph 3,554
Henry 3,462
Charles 3,042
Robert 2,215
Samuel 1,789
Edward 1,753
Alfred 1,727
Arthur 1,573
Richard 1,560
Frederick 1,307
Walter 1,136
Albert 1,134
Harry 951
Herbert 726
Frank 669
David 616
Ernest 606
Edwin 602
Wm. 517
Benjamin 515
Fred 488
Francis 410
Thos. 345
Peter 337
Isaac 313
Daniel 304
Tom 272
Geo. 241
Abraham 236
Edmund 233
Stephen 228
Percy 185
Fredk. 175
Andrew 173
Chas. 166
Christopher 158
Fredrick 158
Alexander 154
Joshua 150
Matthew 146
Jonathan 141
Mark 141
Ralph 140
Jno. 126
Jas. 120

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Taylor households.

FAQ

Taylor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Taylor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 191,142 people were recorded with the Taylor surname. That placed it at #5 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Taylor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251,788 in 2016. That gives Taylor a modern rank of #5.

What does the Taylor surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a tailor, one who makes, mends, or alters clothing.

What does the Taylor map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Taylor bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.