The Taft surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,048 people carried this name — #3,933 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 32,600 people counted. That is up 5% from 8,589 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

In the first U.S. census, 1790

108 families named Taft, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 625 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 74
Vermont 15
New Hampshire 8
Virginia 5
Rhode Island 4
New York 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 264 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Taft in American newspapers,
1908–1912.

Newspaper page from The Progressive Farmer And Southern Farm Gazette carrying the name Taft
The Progressive Farmer And Southern Farm Gazette 1912-05-04
Newspaper page from The Mirror And Farmer carrying the name Taft
The Mirror And Farmer 1912-10-10
Newspaper page from The Hattiesburg News carrying the name Taft
The Hattiesburg News 1908-07-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 149,499 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Taft in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1990s.

21,207 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Taft. The most, 10,221, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,124
Victoria 4,444
Queensland 4,440
South Australia 2,186
Tasmania 1,986
Western Australia 1,930
ACT (Canberra) 54
Northern Territory 10

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Taft.

Who carried it

People named Taft,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Andreas Taft 1213–1294 · mosaicist
  • Robert Taft, Sr. 1640–1725
  • Daniel Taft Sr. 1677–1761
  • Joseph Taft 1680–1747
  • Robert Taft III 1697–
  • Israel Taft 1699–

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Taft,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,064 records

1,064 records of the Taft name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 348
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 305
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 135
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 127
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 76
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 55
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 11
  • U.S. service members who died in the Korean War 4
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 3
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Paul B. Taft

    Born 1932; from Los Angeles County, California. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1950 in North Korea. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Michael Taft

    Born 1921 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Newark, New Jersey; shipping clerk. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1993, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maria Taft

    Arrived at New York in 1881 aboard the Gallia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,064 records for Taft in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia53 records

53 records of the Taft name in Australia
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 19
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 18
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 15
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 1
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Albion Taft

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Hercules, arriving 1832; certificate of freedom 1842.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George H. Taft

    Arrived in Queensland in 1885 aboard the Waroonga, aged 22.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Dorothy Taft

    Bookseller of Surrey Hills, Victoria; died 1977.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 53 records for Taft in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada6 records

6 records of the Taft name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 1
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 1
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 1
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Walter Taft

    Buried in 1945 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ella L. Taft

    Married 1900 in Digby, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Howard Taft

    Died in service in 1941.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 6 records for Taft in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom3 records

3 records of the Taft name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Taft

    Buried in 1807 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 82.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Taft

    Royal Army Medical Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Edward Taft

    Buried in 1827 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 33.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Taft name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Ray Barneij Taft

    In the population register of Meppel; born 1904.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Ray Barney Taft

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Taft in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Taft name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Georgette Rose Taft

    Born 1907 in Paris; died 1987 in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Taft name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Gustav Taft

    From Beuthen, Freystadt. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 24 July 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Taft.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Taft is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Taft volume
Scroll to Top