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

Tannehill, 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 Tannehill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tannehill in America

Tannehill is the 14238th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tannehill surname appeared 2,106 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tannehill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tannehill 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 Tannehill

The surname Tannehill has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "tana" meaning "thin" or "lean," and "choill" meaning "wood" or "forest." Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a sparse or thin wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1384, which mention a person named John Tannochyll. This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

The Tannehill family is believed to have originated in the county of Ayrshire, specifically in the parish of Dundonald. This region was once part of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde, and the name may have originated there before spreading to other parts of Scotland.

In the 16th century, the Tannehill name appeared in various records, including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, which documented land grants and other legal transactions. One notable figure from this era was Robert Tannehill, who was granted lands in Ayrshire in 1560.

As the Tannehill family grew and dispersed throughout Scotland, variations of the name emerged, such as Tannochhill, Tannochil, and Tannochill. These variations reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the most famous Tannehills in history was Sir John Tannehill (1646-1704), a Scottish merchant and financier who played a significant role in the establishment of the Bank of Scotland. He was also involved in the ill-fated Darien Scheme, an attempt to establish a Scottish colony in Panama.

Another notable figure was James Tannehill (1770-1847), a Scottish-American poet and teacher who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the late 18th century. He is remembered for his collection of poems titled "The Solitary Bard," which celebrated the natural beauty of the American landscape.

In the 19th century, the Tannehill family continued to expand, with members settling in various parts of the United Kingdom and North America. One prominent individual was Wilkins Tannehill (1787-1858), a Methodist minister and author from Tennessee, who wrote extensively on theological and moral topics.

The Tannehill name also gained recognition in the realm of sports, with Ryan Tannehill (born 1988), an American football quarterback who has played for the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans in the National Football League (NFL).

Overall, the surname Tannehill has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with a meaning tied to the natural landscape. Its journey through the centuries has seen variations in spelling and geographic dispersal, with notable individuals leaving their mark in various fields, from finance and literature to religion and sports.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tannehill

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

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 Tannehill 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 Tannehill 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 Tannehill was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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