Explore the Family Name Tucker
The meaning of Tucker
1. English (southwestern): occupational name from Middle English tuker(e), toker(e) ‘tucker, fuller’, a derivative of tuken ‘to torment, beat’ (Old English tūcian), for someone who fulled and finished cloth. This name for the occupation was characteristic of the West Country. Compare Fuller and Walker and see also Tuckerman. 2. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tuachair ‘descendant of Tuachar’, a personal name composed of the elements tuath ‘people’ + car ‘dear, beloved’. 3. Americanized form of Jewish Tocker or Toker (see Tokarz). 4. Possibly also an Americanized form of German Tucher: occupational name for a cloth maker or merchant, from an agent derivative of Middle High German tuoch ‘cloth’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tucker in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Tucker has seen a slight decrease in popularity over a decade from 2000 to 2010. Despite an increase in the total count of Tuckers from 162,933 to 167,446—an uptick of 2.77%—the surname dropped from being the 139th most popular in 2000 to the 153rd in 2010, representing a decline of 10.07%. Consequently, the proportion per 100,000 people fell by 6.01%, from 60.4 in 2000 to 56.77 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139 | #153 | -10.07% |
| Count | 162,933 | 167,446 | 2.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 60.4 | 56.77 | -6.01% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tucker
The data from the Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Tucker. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a noticeable increase in the percentage of Tuckers identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (36.36%), Hispanic (47.8%), and those claiming two or more races (30.81%). Meanwhile, the proportion of Tuckers who identified as White decreased slightly by 2.84%, but still represented the majority at 70.01% in 2010. The proportion of Black Tuckers marginally increased by 2.55%, reaching 24.17% in 2010. A small growth was also observed among American Indian and Alaskan Native Tuckers, with a rise of 5.41% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.06% | 70.01% | -2.84% |
| Black | 23.57% | 24.17% | 2.55% |
| Hispanic | 1.59% | 2.35% | 47.8% |
| Two or More Races | 1.72% | 2.25% | 30.81% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.74% | 0.78% | 5.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.33% | 0.45% | 36.36% |
Tucker ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Tucker is British & Irish, which comprises 54.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.8%) and Scandinavian (3.2%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.4% |
| French & German | 20.8% |
| Scandinavian | 3.2% |
| Other | 21.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Tucker
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Tucker have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
What Tucker haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Tucker is R-L664, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L664 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS2501 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Fisher, Myers, Drake, Thompson, Cooper, Smith, Wright, Simmons, Palmer, Brown.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Tucker surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Tucker have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Tucker" Surname 43.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Tucker" Surname 28.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Tucker" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Tucker" Surname 38.8%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Tucker?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Tucker are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition