Tenace last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Tenace

A surname meaning tenacious or persistent, derived from the Latin word "tenax".

Tenace, 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 Tenace surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tenace in America

Tenace is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tenace surname appeared 178 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 Tenace.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tenace 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 101247 105905 -4.50%
Count 178 156 13.17%
Proportion per 100k 0.06 0.06 0.00%

The history of the last name Tenace

The surname Tenace has its origins in Italy, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have derived from the Italian word "tenace," which means "tenacious" or "persistent." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone with a strong and determined character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tenace can be found in the rolls of the town of Siena, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, a merchant named Guido Tenace was mentioned, indicating that the name was already in use during that time period.

During the Renaissance, the Tenace family gained prominence in the region of Tuscany. In the 15th century, a notable figure named Alessandro Tenace (1420-1492) was a renowned painter and fresco artist, known for his work in several churches and palaces throughout Florence and its surrounding areas.

In the 16th century, the name Tenace appeared in the records of the city of Bologna, where a family of that name owned a successful textile business. One of the members of this family, Giovanni Battista Tenace (1550-1619), was a respected merchant and philanthropist who donated funds to establish a hospital for the poor.

Another notable figure with the surname Tenace was Vincenzo Tenace (1675-1742), a Jesuit scholar and theologian from Naples. He was widely recognized for his contributions to the study of philosophy and theology, and his works were widely published and studied throughout Europe.

In the 18th century, the name Tenace can be found in the records of the city of Venice, where a family of that name was involved in the maritime trade industry. One of the members of this family, Antonio Tenace (1720-1795), was a successful ship captain and trader who made numerous voyages across the Mediterranean and beyond.

As the centuries passed, the Tenace surname continued to be found in various regions of Italy, with families bearing this name making their mark in various professions and disciplines. However, it is important to note that these are just a few examples, and the history of the Tenace surname is likely much more extensive and diverse than what is covered here.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tenace

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

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 Tenace was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.94% 169
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 3.93% 7

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 Tenace has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.94% 98.08% -3.25%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 3.93% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Tenace last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 17, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/tenace-surname-popularity/.

"Tenace last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/tenace-surname-popularity/. Accessed 17 July, 2025

Tenace last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/tenace-surname-popularity/.

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