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Tappan Family History

Tappan Surname Meaning

Possibly an altered form of German Tappen.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Tappan family from?

You can see how Tappan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tappan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tappan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Tappan families living in Northumberland. This was about 80% of all the recorded Tappan's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Tappan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tappan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Tappan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tappan. 18% of Tappan men worked as a Salesman and 12% of Tappan women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tappan were Clerk and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Tappan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    18%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    12%
  • Clerk
    10%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Seamstress
    6%

What Tappan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Tappan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tappan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tappan

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Tappan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tappan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Tappan. For the veterans among your Tappan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tappan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tappan family history

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What is the average Tappan lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Tappan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Tappan in 1954 was 40, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tappan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tappan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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