Find out how popular the last name Tanenbaum is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Tanenbaum.

Tanenbaum, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Tanenbaum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tanenbaum in America

Tanenbaum is the 30277th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tanenbaum surname appeared 773 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tanenbaum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tanenbaum to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Tanenbaum

The surname Tanenbaum originated in Germany, with roots that can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Tannenbaum," which means "fir tree" or "pine tree." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a distinctive fir or pine tree, or perhaps worked with these types of trees.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name Tanenbaum appears in a registry of births and deaths in the town of Hesse, Germany, dated 1587. This document lists a certain Johann Tanenbaum, who was likely one of the first individuals to carry this surname.

In the 17th century, the name Tanenbaum can be found in various records and manuscripts from various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. During this time, variations of the spelling emerged, such as "Tannenbaum" and "Tannenbaume."

One notable individual with the surname Tanenbaum was Johann Christoph Tanenbaum, a German clockmaker who lived from 1695 to 1768. He was renowned for his intricate and precise timepieces, which were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy merchants of his time.

Another historical figure bearing this surname was Friedrich Wilhelm Tanenbaum, a German philosopher and educator who lived from 1773 to 1838. He is known for his contributions to the field of ethics and his work on the moral education of children.

In the 19th century, the name Tanenbaum began to spread beyond Germany as individuals with this surname emigrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One such individual was Heinrich Tanenbaum, a German immigrant who settled in New York City in the 1850s and became a successful businessman.

Another notable figure with the Tanenbaum surname was Sarah Tanenbaum, a Russian-born American author and activist who lived from 1887 to 1964. She was a vocal advocate for women's rights and was involved in various progressive causes during her lifetime.

Finally, one cannot discuss the Tanenbaum name without mentioning Andrew S. Tanenbaum, a renowned computer scientist and professor who was born in 1944. He is best known for his work on operating systems and computer networks, and has authored several influential books on these subjects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tanenbaum

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Tanenbaum.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Tanenbaum was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Tanenbaum has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Tanenbaum was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tanenbaum, please contact us.

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