Tucker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Tucker is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The Tucker family took the name when one of its members worked as a fuller, whose job it was to scour and thicken raw cloth by beating it and trampling it in water having derived from the Old English word tucian, which originally meant to torment and later gained the meaning to tuck or to full. [1] Occasionally, the name Tucker was a nickname surname given to a courageous person. 

Early Origins of the Tucker family

The surname Tucker was first found in Devon. “Tucker is a very characteristic west of England name. Its great home is in Devonshire, and it is especially numerous in the Barnstaple district. It is also found in numbers in Somerset, and occurs too, but much less frequently, in Cornwall, Dorset, Hants, and Wilts. Tucker was the west of England name for a fuller. ” [2]

As to agree with aforementioned, another source notes: “Tucker is still a great West country surname, being very strongly represented in Devon, Wiltshire, and Dorset. ” [3]

The earliest record found for the family was Roger le Tukere, who was listed in the Hundredorum, Rolls for Dorset in 1273. [3]

Early History of the Tucker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tucker research.

Tucker Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tucker, Tooker, Toker, Tokker and others.

Early Notables of the Tucker family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include William Tucker or Tooker (1558?-1621), English divine, born at Exeter in 1557 or 1558, the third son of William Tooker of that town. In 1590 he became rector of Clovelly in Devonshire, but resigned the charge in 1601. [4] Giles Tooker (c 1565-1623), was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons.

Tucker World Ranking

In the United States, the name Tucker is the 128^th most popular surname with an estimated 174,090 people with that name. [5] However, in Canada, the name Tucker is ranked the 497^thmost popular surname with an estimated 9,806 people with that name. [6] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Tucker is the 28^th popular surname with an estimated 698 people with that name. [7] Australia ranks Tucker as 277^th with 12,532 people. [8] New Zealand ranks Tucker as 297^th with 2,038 people. [9] The United Kingdom ranks Tucker as 287^th with 21,258 people. [10]

 Migration of the Tucker family to Ireland

Some of the Tucker family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Tucker migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Tucker Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• John Tucker explored the rivers of Maine in 1602
• Daniel Tucker, who settled in Virginia in 1608 aboard the ship “Second Supply”, left Virginia in 1612 [11]
• William Tucker, (1589?–1640?), English colonist who sailed aboard the Mary and James and settled in Virginia in 1610; he was one of the first subscribers to the Virginia Company [12]
• William Tucker, who settled in Maine in 1621
• Mrs. Mary Tucker, who landed in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship “George” [11]

Tucker Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Elizabeth Tucker, who arrived in Carolina in 1724 [11]
• Charlotte Tucker, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 [11]

Tucker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Francis Tucker, aged 37, who landed in Alexandria, Va in 1801 [11]
• Sally E Tucker, aged 10, who landed in Alexandria, Va in 1801 [11]
• Maria D Tucker, aged 12, who arrived in Alexandria, Va in 1801 [11]
• James Henry Tucker, aged 21, who arrived in Alexandria, Va in 1801 [11]
• Richard Tucker, who arrived in America in 1807 [11]

 Tucker migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Tucker Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

• John and Richard Tucker, from Teignmouth in Devon, who settled in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1676 [13]

Tucker Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Freelove Tucker, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
• Henry Tucker, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
• Solomon Tucker, who arrived in New Brunswick in 1783
• Mr. James Tucker U.E. who settled in Bell Vue, Beaver Harbor, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 [14]
• Mr. Solomon Tucker U.E. born in Stamford, Connecticut, USA who settled in Kings County, New Brunswick c. 1783 passenger aboard the Union Transport, was a Weaver [14]

Tucker Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Timothy Tucker, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843
• Mr. Honors Tucker, aged 27 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse IsleQuarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship “Avon” departing from the port of Cork, Irelandbut died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 [15]
• Mr. Joseph Tucker who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship “Larch” departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died onGrosse Isle in 1847 [15]
• Miss. Ann Tucker who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship “Larch” departing 11th July 1847 from Sligo, Ireland; the ship arrived on 20th August 1847 but she died on board [16]
• Mr. Patrick Tucker, aged 35 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship “Larch” departing 11th July 1847 from Sligo, Ireland; the ship arrived on 20th August 1847 but he died on board [16]

 Tucker migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Tucker Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. John Tucker, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Asiatic” on 5th June 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [17]
• Mr. Thomas Tucker, (b. 1798), aged 21, English stone mason who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the “Dromedary” on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land), he died in 1869 [18]
• Thomas Tucker, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the “Agamemnon” on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia [19]
• Mr. Samuel Tucker, British convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, Englandfor 7 years, transported aboard the “Competitor”18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [20]
• James Tucker, a tyler, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832

 Tucker migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Tucker Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Josias Tucker, aged 36, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [21]
• William H. Tucker, aged 8, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [21]
• Eliza Ann Tucker, aged 6, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [21]
• Samuel J. Tucker, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [21]
• Josias Tucker, aged 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Duke of Roxburgh” in 1840 [21]

Contemporary Notables of the name Tucker (post 1700) +

• Jim Tucker (1946-2020), American rhythm guitarist for The Turtles
• James D. Tucker (1932-2020), American professional basketball player
• Jerry Tucker (1925-2016), born Jerome Harold Schatz, an American child actor, best known for his role as the “rich kid” in the Our Gang
• Larry Alan Tucker (1935-2016), American politician, President of the Senate of West Virginia in 1989
• Cynthia Tucker (b. 1955), American reporter who won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and also a Pulitzer-nominated finalist in 2004 and 2006
• Tommy Tucker (1933-1982), American blues singer-songwriter and pianist
• Tanya Denise Tucker (b. 1958), award-winning American country singer
• Scott Tucker (b. 1976), American Olympic swimmer
• Forrest Tucker (1919-1986), American actor in both movies and television
• Eddie Jack Tucker (b. 1966), American former Major League Baseball player