The expression “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” is often used to describe how children tend to inherit the characteristics of their parents. This saying usually points out the similarities between a parent and child, whether physical or personality traits. For example, if a child has the same eye color as their parent, it might be said that “the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.” Alternatively, someone might say they take after their mother or father if a child exhibits the same shy personality as their parent. In short, this phrase is generally used to describe how children are often similar to their parents in one way or another. In 1839, Ralph Waldo Emerson was credited with making the first known usage of the phrase in the United States. However, an old German proverb inspired him, and its English translation would be, “As men say, the apple never falls far from the stem.”

Source: Grammarist