Taaffe is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Viscount Taaffe (title and family) Theobald Taaffe, 1st Earl of Carlingford (died 1677), Irish-born courtier and soldier in England Francis Taaffe, 3rd Earl of Carlingford (died 1704), Irish-born courtier and soldier in Lorraine Nicholas Taaffe, 6th Viscount Taaffe (1685–1769), Irish-born courtier and soldier in Lorraine and Austria Eduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895), Prime Minister of Austria Elizabeth Murphy Taaffe (1844–1875), American rancher and early settler in Los Altos, California (1921–2001), American geographer Henry Taaffe, 12th Viscount Taaffe (1872–1928), last Viscount Taaffe Charlie Taaffe (1950–2019), American football coach Denis Taaffe (died 1813), Irish political writer, pseudonym Julius Vindex Éamonn Taaffe (born 1975), Irish sportsperson Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (born 1939), American composer Peter Taaffe (1942–2025), British politician Philip Taaffe (born 1937), American artist Sonya Taaffe, American writer Tom Taaffe, Irish horse trainer Richard Taaffe, gemmologist and discoverer of taaffeite Taaffe O'Connell, American actress Olivia Taaffe, founder of St Joseph's Young Priests Society Emily Taaffe (born 1984), Irish actress Michael Taaffe (born 2003), American football player