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Tapper Family History

Tapper Surname Meaning

English (Devon) and German: occupational name for a wine merchant or tavernkeeper from an agent derivative of Middle English tappen ‘to draw off’ Low German tappe ‘tap’. See also Tipler and Tipper.

North German: nickname from Middle Low German tapper ‘capable eager courageous’.

Swedish: ornamental name or soldier's name from tapper ‘brave’.

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


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Where is the Tapper family from?

You can see how Tapper families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tapper family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tapper families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 178 Tapper families living in Devon. This was about 29% of all the recorded Tapper's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Tapper families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tapper 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 Tapper ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tapper. 24% of Tapper men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Tapper women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tapper were Retired and Cotton Weaver.

View Census Data for Tapper | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    24%
  • House Painter
    10%
  • Dairy grazing Farmer (heavy Worker
    6%
  • Retired
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Cotton Weaver
    2%

What Tapper family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Tapper. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tapper census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tapper

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Tapper. 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 Tapper immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Tapper military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tapper family history

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What is the average Tapper lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Tapper life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Tapper in 1952 was 81, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tapper

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tapper 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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