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

Tansey, 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 Tansey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tansey in America

Tansey is the 14937th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tansey surname appeared 1,981 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 Tansey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tansey 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 Tansey

The surname Tansey is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "tanas" meaning "thin" or "slender". It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for a person of a slender or thin build.

The name can be traced back to the early 12th century in Ireland, where it was first recorded in County Roscommon. Some of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Tadhg Tansey, a prominent Irish chieftain who lived in the 13th century. He was a member of the powerful O'Conor dynasty and held significant influence in the region of Connacht.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, which were taxation records for the Diocese of Cloyne in County Cork. This suggests that the Tansey family had spread to other parts of Ireland by that time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Tansey surname was particularly prevalent in County Sligo, where it was associated with the baronies of Carbury and Leyny. Several notable individuals from this period bore the name, including Richard Tansey, a prominent landowner and member of the Irish Parliament in the late 16th century.

Another notable figure was Bonaventure Tansey, a Franciscan friar and historian who lived in the late 17th century. He was the author of several works on Irish history and genealogy, including the "Genealogical History of Ireland".

In the 18th century, the Tansey name gained prominence in County Mayo, where it was associated with the town of Ballina. One of the most famous bearers of the name from this period was James Tansey, a renowned Irish scholar and mathematician who lived from 1718 to 1795.

The 19th century saw the Tansey name continue to spread throughout Ireland, with members of the family establishing themselves in various professions and industries. One notable individual was Patrick Tansey, a successful businessman and philanthropist from County Roscommon, who lived from 1812 to 1890.

Throughout history, the Tansey surname has also been found in various spellings, such as Tansee, Tansy, and Tauncy, reflecting the regional variations and phonetic adaptations that occurred over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tansey

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

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

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

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