Tench
A masculine name ultimately derived from the Greek word for a type of fish.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Tench. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tench today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tench births was 1914 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tench. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Tench. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1914
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1914 SSA rank
#3,706
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Tench: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Tench by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Tench during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Tench
The name Tench is an English masculine given name that has its origins in the Middle English period, dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "tenche," which means "tench," a type of freshwater fish. The name was likely given to individuals who lived near bodies of water or who were involved in fishing activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tench can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a person named Tench de Pirehill is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use as a personal name during the medieval period in England.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Tench. One of the earliest was Tench Coxe (1755-1824), an American political economist and businessman who served as the Commissioner of Revenue under President George Washington. He was a prominent figure in the early years of the United States and played a significant role in shaping the country's economic policies.
Another notable bearer of the name was Tench Tilghman (1744-1786), an aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. He is best known for being the person who carried the news of the British surrender at Yorktown to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1781.
In the 19th century, Tench Ringgold (1805-1867) was an American naval officer who served in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. He is particularly remembered for his role in the capture of the city of Tampico during the Mexican-American War.
Moving into the 20th century, Tench Phillips (1912-1999) was an American artist and sculptor who was known for his abstract works in metal and stone. His sculptures can be found in numerous public spaces and museums across the United States.
Finally, Tench Forbes (1920-2009) was a British actor and writer who appeared in various television and film productions throughout his career. He is perhaps best known for his role as the Reverend Stephen Dowling in the popular British sitcom "Waiting for God."
While the name Tench may not be as common today as it once was, its historical significance and association with notable individuals from various fields make it a name with a rich and interesting background.
People
Tench + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tench as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tench: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tench?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tench going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Tench a common name?
We classify Tench as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tench most popular?
The single biggest year for Tench was 1914, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tench is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Tench in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tench a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tench in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Tench still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tench in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Tench can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Tench?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.