Are tag settings passed down from Game Object parent to mesh child?

Recently trying to use a raycast to detect a hit, and using tags to determine which object was hit. Applied a tag to the Game Objects, and nothing worked. Applying a tag to the child mesh AND the Game Object allow it to work. Are meshes supposed to automatically receive a parent's tag or do the Game Objects and their child meshes have to all have their tags set by hand?

No, objects aren't supposed to automatically receive a parent's tag.