Tylor

Tylor is a surname of English origin, a variant spelling of Taylor. It originated as an occupational name for a tailor and later became a hereditary surname. In some cases, Tylor is also used as a given name.

The most prominent bearer is Edward Burnett Tylor (1832–1917), an English anthropologist who is widely regarded as a founder of cultural anthropology. Tylor helped establish anthropology as a comparative, cross-cultural discipline and contributed to the concept of culture as learned and shared behavior. He advocated unilinear cultural evolution and used cross-cultural comparison to study human societies. His influential work Primitive Culture (1871) helped define the field and set out early methods for ethnology.

Today, Tylor remains mainly a surname; given name usage is rare. Notable people with the surname include scholars, scientists, and professionals across fields. The name is sometimes confused with Taylor, a more common spelling, but Tylor retains distinct genealogical ties and usage.