Tucker is a surname of disputed origin.
Possible derivation of the name
The origin of the name is not entirely certain, but since it has a long history as a surname on the continent, as in England and from thereon, also in the United States, it presumably has the same Saxon roots.
In England Recorded as both Tucker and Tooker, the derivation of the English occupational surname comes from the Old English, pre-7th century verb tucian, meaning "to torment". It would have been for a fuller, also known as a "walker", one who softened freshly woven cloth by beating and tramping on it in stale urine. "Tucker" was the usual term in the southwest of England (and South Wales as well), "walker" in the west and north, and "fuller" in the southeast and East Anglia.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of one Baldwin Tuckere in the 1236 Records of Battle Abbey in Sussex. Nevertheless, one should not be too hasty to assign English origin to bearers of the surname.
German and Dutch origins
Linguistically, the word tucker is assumed to be related to the German Tucher, which means "cloth-maker". In the 15th century, the bulk of the German cotton trade was in the hands of the Tucher von Simmelsdorf family in Nürnberg, where Tucher Castle still stands.
In Old Dutch, which is closely related to Old German, the word tuch was often used as a verb to mean "to tug sharply" (see above). The similar linguistic origin of these words is also recognizable in the English etymology.See for example The Brewsters Dictionary
In the Netherlands the earliest known Tuckers are the brothers Jan and Willam die Tucker, both vassals of the Lord of Culemborg in 1358Digitale Bronnen Regionaal Historisch Centrum Zuid-Oost Utrecht, inv.no. 23, by M. S. F. Kemp. who was parented to the Lord of Breda where Jan Tucker sold a house in 1368 on the Hagedijk Road to Antwerp in the city of Breda.Archive Begijnhof, Breda. IAB482 Act of deliverance by Jan Tucker and Jan Gryelen to the Begijnhof by payment of thirteen-and-a-half 'greats', coming out of a house and yard at the Haagdijk, May 20th 1368. 1 charter Regest nummers: 049 Cijnsregister: BCR114. Breda held a local monopoly on the wool trade in those days.See e.g. Het boek van Breda, page 46, published by the City of Breda, , NUR 693 Over the centuries the Dutch form of the surname has been spelled both Tucker and Tukker.
Possible Irish origin Tucker can also be an Anglicized form of the Irish surname O'Tuachair,Dictionary of American Family Names, p. 1193, Oxford University Press (2003), . which first appeared in the Annals of Ulster in 1126 AD as Uá Tuathchair.Annala Uladh, Annals of Ulster V2, A.D. 1057–1131, A.D. 1155–1378: Otherwise, Annala Senait, Annals of Senat; A Chronicle Of Irish Affairs From AD 431 To 1540, Cathal Mac Maghnusa Maguire, Rory O'Cassidy, William Maunsell Hennessy, Batholomew MacCarthy, p. 171, Royal Irish Academy (1893), Kessinger Publishing, LLC (July 25, 2007), It is not uncommon to see Anglicized representations of Irish surnames, and myriad examples may be cited. According to Patrick Woulfe, in his book Irish Names and SurnamesIrish Names and Surnames by Patrick Woulfe, Dublin Press, Library of Congress catalog card number 67-27570. it is the name of two distinct septs; one from the Irish Midlands region known as Ely-O'Carroll (which includes parts of County Tipperary and County Offaly), and another from County Mayo. These findings were confirmed by the first Chief Herald of Ireland, Edward MacLysaght, and published in his book More Irish Families.Edward MacLysaght, More Irish Families, p. 204, Irish Academic Press (1982)
Variants of the Irish surname include Toher, Togher, and Tougher.
People with the surname "Tucker" include
A Aaron Tucker (born 1981), Canadian writer Abi Tucker (born 1973), Australian singer-songwriter Abraham Tucker (1705–1774), English philosopher Adele Tucker (1868–1971), Bermudian schoolteacher Adrian Tucker (born 1976), Welsh footballer Adrian Tucker (cricketer) (born 1969), Australian cricketer Al Tucker (1943–2001), American basketball player Alando Tucker (born 1984), American basketball player Albert Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Alexander Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Alfred Tucker (1849–1914), Equatorial Guinean bishop Allen Tucker (1866–1939), American artist Allen Tucker (Medal of Honor) (1838–1903), American soldier Amy Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Anand Tucker (born 1963), Thai-British filmmaker Andre Tucker, American football trainer Andrew Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Angela Tucker, American writer Anna Tucker (1920–2012), American civil servant Anne Wilkes Tucker, American museum curator Annette Tucker, American songwriter Anthony Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Archibald Tucker (1904–1980), South African linguist Arnold Tucker (1924–2019), American football player Art Tucker (born 1959), American boxer Avis Tucker (1915–2010), American journalist
B Barbara Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Barry Tucker (born 1952), Welsh footballer Beatrice Edna Tucker (1897/1898–1984), American obstetrician Ben Tucker (1930–2013), American bassist Benjamin Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Bernard Tucker (1901–1950), English ornithologist Bert Tucker (1944–2014), Belizean politician Bessie Tucker (1906–1933), American singer-songwriter Beverley D. Tucker (1846–1930), American bishop Bill Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Billy Tucker (born 1948), English footballer B. J. Tucker (born 1980), American football player Bobby Tucker (1923–2007), American pianist Buddy Tucker, American minister Brad Tucker (born 1992), New Zealand rugby union footballer Brett Tucker (born 1972), Australian actor Brett Tucker (cricketer) (born 1979), South African cricketer Brian Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Brooks Tucker, American government official Bryan Tucker, American comedian
C Carole Tucker, British professor Casey Tucker (born 1995), American football player Catherine Tucker (born 1977), American professor C. Delores Tucker (1927–2005), American politician and activist Cécile Tucker (born 1969), American rower Charles Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Charlotte Maria Tucker (1821–1893), English writer Cheyna Tucker (born 1990), South African squash player Chris Tucker (born 1972), American actor Christopher Tucker (1946–2022), British make-up artist Clarke Tucker (born 1981), American politician Clay Tucker (born 1980), American basketball player Cleopatra Tucker (born 1943), American politician Cliff Tucker (1989–2018), American basketball player Clifton Tucker (1888–1973), Australian rules footballer Cole Tucker (born 1996), American baseball player Cole Tucker (actor) (1953–2015), American actor Colm Tucker (1952–2012), Irish rugby union footballer Compton Tucker, American Earth scientist and academic Corin Tucker (born 1972), American singer and guitarist Curtis R. Tucker (1918–1988), American politician Cynthia Tucker (journalist) (born 1955), American columnist Cynthia Tucker (politician) (born 1954), Canadian politician Cyril Tucker (1911–1992), English bishop
D Dakarai Tucker (born 1994), American basketball player Dalton Tucker (born 2000), American football player Daniel Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Dar Tucker (born 1988), American-Jordanian basketball player Dara Tucker, American singer-songwriter Darcy Tucker (born 1975), Canadian hockey player Darcy Tucker (footballer) (born 1997), Australian rules footballer Darren Tucker (born 1962), Australian cricketer David Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Deborah Tucker, American actress Deborah Tucker (executive), American activist Delmi Tucker (born 1997), South African cricketer Demetria Tucker, American librarian Dexter Tucker (born 1979), English footballer Donald Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Dudley Gilman Tucker (1887–1918), American soldier Duke Tucker (born 1970), Wisconsin politician Duncan Tucker, American filmmaker
E Earl Snakehips Tucker (1905–1937), American dancer Ebenezer Tucker (1758–1845), American judge and legislator Eddie Tucker (born 1966), American baseball player Eddie Tucker (footballer) (born 1932), Australian rules footballer Edward Tucker (??–1739), British merchant and politician Elena J. Tucker, Australian geneticist E. M. Tucker, American architect Emma Tucker (born 1966/1967), English journalist Emmanuel Tucker, Sierra Leonean bishop Eric Tucker (1932–2018), English painter Eric James Tucker (1927–1957), Indian army officer Ernest Tucker (1931–2019), Canadian author, educator, and journalist Ethan Tucker, American rabbi Ethelyn Maria Tucker (1871–1959), American botanist Eugene A. Tucker (1856–1942), American attorney and politician Evelyn Tucker (1906–1996), American war hero
F Forrest Tucker (1919–1986), American actor Forrest Tucker (criminal) (1920–2004), American criminal Francis Tucker (1923–2008), South African racing driver Francis Bland Tucker (1895–1984), American priest Frank T. Tucker (1864–1910), American politician Fred C. Tucker (1918–1994), American businessman
G Gardiner L. Tucker, American scientist Gee Tucker (born 1946), American actor George Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Gerald Tucker (1922–1979), American basketball coach Gerard Tucker (1885–1974), Australian priest Gideon J. Tucker (1826–1899), American lawyer and politician Gil Tucker (born 1947), Australian actor Glyn Tucker (born 1943), New Zealand musician Gordon Tucker, American rabbi Gordon Tucker (footballer) (born 1968), English footballer Gregory Tucker (born 1957), American politician Gene Tucker, Iconic Australian
H Harold Tucker (1930–2015), English politician Harold Logie Tucker (born 1968), Sierra Leonean politician Hazel Tucker (born 1965), New Zealand anthropologist Helen F. Tucker (1902–1986), American biochemist Henry Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Herman Tucker (1928–2001), American truck driver H. G. Tucker (1879–1936), American politician Holly Tucker (born 1977), British entrepreneur Holly Tucker (musician) (born 1992), American singer-songwriter Howard Tucker (1922–2025), American neurologist Hugh Tucker (1537–1586), English politician Hugh Tucker (drag racer), American racing driver
I Irene Tucker, American philosopher
J Jack Tucker (born 1999), English footballer Jacob R. Tucker (1845–1926), American soldier Jalie Tucker (born 1954), American professor James Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Jane Tucker (born 1949), British actress Janeiro Tucker (born 1975), Bermudan cricketer Janine Tucker, American lacrosse coach Jason Tucker (born 1976), American football player Jason Tucker (footballer) (born 1973), English footballer J. E. Tucker (1833–1910), American politician Jeff Tucker (luger) (born 1956), American luger Jeffrey Tucker (born 1963), American writer and publisher Jennifer Tucker, American professor Jerry Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Jim Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Jimmy Tucker (born 1970), English rugby union footballer Jon Tucker (born 1982), Pipeline Controller and Back-up Specialist John Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Jonathan Tucker (born 1982), American actor Jonathan B. Tucker (1954–2011), American chemical weapons expert Joseph Tucker (disambiguation), multiple people Joshua Tucker (??–1690), English archdeacon Josiah Tucker (1713–1799), Welsh priest J. R. Tucker (1946–2014), American physicist J. Randolph Tucker Jr. (1914–2015), American attorney and politician Judith Tucker (born 1960), Welsh artist Judith E. Tucker (born 1947), American professor Junior Tucker (born 1966), Jamaican musician Justin Tucker (born 1989), American football player Jyles Tucker (born 1983), American football player
K K.A. Tucker, Canadian novelist Kane Tucker (born 2000), Irish boxer Karla Faye Tucker (1959–1998), American murderer Kathryn Tucker (born 1959), American attorney