Show ContentsTapson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tapson family

The surname Tapson was first found in Dorset where one of the earliest records of the name was John and Roger Tappe who was registered there in the Pipe Rolls of 1194. The name was derived from the Old English word Taeppa. 1

Early History of the Tapson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tapson research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1247, 1596 and 1615 are included under the topic Early Tapson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tapson Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Tapson include Tapp, Tapps, Tabb, Tabbs and others.

Early Notables of the Tapson family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tapson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tapson family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Tapson or a variant listed above: Thomas Tapp settled in Virginia in 1643; Benjamin Tapp of Portugal Cove, married at St. John's Newfoundland in 1781; Anthony and Ann Tapp settled in Maryland in 1774. W.J. Tabb was living in Montreal, Quebec in 1886..


Contemporary Notables of the name Tapson (post 1700) +

  • Polly Tapson, American producer, active in the 1990s


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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