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Tait Family History

Tait Surname Meaning

Scottish and northern English: nickname for a cheerful person from Middle English and Older Scots tait(e) ‘merry eager lively’ (Old Norse teitr) also used as a personal name.

Compare Tate.

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


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Where is the Tait family from?

You can see how Tait families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tait family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tait families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 1,260 Tait families living in Northumberland. This was about 44% of all the recorded Tait's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Tait families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tait 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 Tait 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 Tait. 15% of Tait men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Tait women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tait were Horseman On Farm and Private Means.

View Census Data for Tait | 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
    15%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Shepherd
    3%
  • Horseman On Farm
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Tait family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 154,000 census records available for the last name Tait. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tait census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Tait

Passenger Lists

There are 36,000 immigration records available for the last name Tait. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tait immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Tait. For the veterans among your Tait ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tait military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tait family history

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What is the average Tait lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Tait life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Tait in 1947 was 36, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tait

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tait 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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