Taylor Cemetery Records
Search burial records, grave locations, and genealogy data for the Taylor family name across all 50 states.
🏺 Origin of the Taylor Surname
Taylor is an English occupational surname for a tailor — someone who cuts and sews cloth. It derives from the Old French "tailleur" (cutter), which came into English after the Norman Conquest. Taylor is the third most common occupational surname in England after Smith and Miller.
🇺🇸 Taylor Families in American History
Taylor families came to America from England and Ireland throughout the colonial era and 19th century. The surname is associated with two US Presidents: Zachary Taylor and James K. Polk's mother was a Taylor. The name is widespread across all regions with no particularly dominant geographic concentration.
Where Taylor Families Are Concentrated
| State | Notes |
|---|---|
| Virginia | Strong colonial-era Taylor heritage; President Zachary Taylor's family from here |
| Tennessee | Very common Appalachian Taylor families with Scots-Irish roots |
| Kentucky | Zachary Taylor born here; deep Taylor family roots |
| Texas | Largest absolute Taylor population; Taylor County named for same family |
| Georgia | Strong African American Taylor population from emancipation era |
Famous Americans Named Taylor
12th US President; buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, KY
Father of scientific management; buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Wild West cowboy and showman
Governor of Tennessee; buried at Old Gray Cemetery, Knoxville, TN
Search Tips for Taylor Family Records
Zachary Taylor family research: the National Cemetery in Louisville is well-documented with online records
English Taylor families often have Norman-origin records traceable to medieval England
Appalachian Taylor families (TN, KY, VA, WV) are common in Scots-Irish genealogical databases
For Black Taylor families, Freedmen's Bureau records and post-1865 Southern county death certificates are key
Taylor is common in New England — look for church records from Congregationalist and Episcopal parishes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taylor an exclusively English surname?
Taylor is primarily English in origin but the underlying occupation was universal in pre-industrial society. Some Taylor families anglicized from Irish Ó Tailliúir, French Tailleur, or German Schneider (also meaning tailor). Context and church records help identify the exact origin.
Are there variant spellings of Taylor?
Tayler is an older variant spelling occasionally found in colonial records. The French equivalent Tailleur rarely persisted in American records. Most Taylor families in the US use the standardized spelling.
How do I find Zachary Taylor's direct descendants?
The Taylor Presidential line is well-documented by historians. The Family of Zachary Taylor has been traced extensively in genealogical literature. His direct descendants appear in Virginia, Kentucky, and Louisiana records through the 19th century.
Why is Taylor common among African Americans?
Like other common occupational surnames, Taylor was adopted by freedmen after emancipation. The tailoring trade was one of the skilled occupations practiced by both enslaved and free Black Americans in the antebellum South, making Taylor a natural choice for surname adoption.
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