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

Tannhauser, 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 Tannhauser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tannhauser in America

Tannhauser is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tannhauser surname appeared 101 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 Tannhauser.

The history of the last name Tannhauser

The surname Tannhauser is of German origin, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the German words "Tann" (fir tree or pine forest) and "Hauser" (house or resident), suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or in a pine forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tannhauser can be found in the medieval German poem "Der Tannhäuser" (The Tannhauser), which tells the story of a historical figure who was a renowned medieval German Minnesinger and poet. The poem, written in the 13th century, references a legendary character named Tannhauser who embarked on a journey to the mythical Venusberg.

In the 14th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Tanhuser," appeared in the records of the town of Nuremberg, Germany. This suggests that the name had already gained recognition and was being used across different regions of Germany during that time period.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Tannhauser was Heinrich Tannhauser, a 13th-century German Minnesinger and poet, whose life and work were celebrated in the aforementioned medieval poem. While his exact birth and death dates are uncertain, historical records suggest he lived during the first half of the 13th century.

In the 15th century, Johannes Tannhauser, a German theologian and reformer, was born in Constance, Germany (c. 1420 - c. 1491). He played a significant role in the early years of the Protestant Reformation and was known for his criticisms of the Catholic Church.

Another notable figure was Matthias Tannhauser, a 16th-century German painter and engraver (c. 1545 - c. 1610), who was active in Nuremberg and is renowned for his works depicting biblical scenes and portraits.

In the 19th century, the name Tannhauser gained further prominence with the renowned German composer Richard Wagner's opera "Tannhäuser" (1845), which was based on the medieval legend of the same name.

Throughout history, the surname Tannhauser has been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Tannhausen, a town in Bavaria, and Tannhäuser Berg, a mountain range in Saxony-Anhalt. These place names likely influenced the spelling variations and regional usage of the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tannhauser

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

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 Tannhauser 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.

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

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

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