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

Tenaglia, 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 Tenaglia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tenaglia in America

Tenaglia is the 26391st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tenaglia surname appeared 925 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 Tenaglia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tenaglia 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 Tenaglia

The surname Tenaglia originates from Italy, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century in the regions of Tuscany and Liguria. The name is derived from the Italian word "tenaglia," which means "tongs" or "pincers," likely referring to an occupation or trade involving the use of such tools, such as blacksmithing or metalworking.

One of the earliest documented references to the surname Tenaglia can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Toscano," a collection of historical documents from Tuscany, where a person named Bindo Tenaglia is mentioned in a legal document dated 1273. This record suggests that the surname was already well-established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Tenaglia family gained prominence in the city of Genoa, located in the Liguria region of northern Italy. Historical records indicate that members of the Tenaglia family held important positions within the Genoese Republic, including magistrates and ambassadors. One notable figure was Bartolomeo Tenaglia, who served as a diplomat and ambassador for the Republic of Genoa in the late 14th century.

The surname Tenaglia can also be found in various historical documents and records from other parts of Italy, such as the "Annali Genovesi" (Genoese Annals) and the "Cronache di Piacenza" (Chronicles of Piacenza). These mentions further solidify the presence and significance of the Tenaglia family throughout the Italian peninsula during the medieval and Renaissance periods.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tenaglia. One of the most prominent figures was Gian Francesco Tenaglia (1510-1585), an Italian architect and military engineer from Genoa. He is renowned for his work on fortifications and defensive structures, including the Fortezza Vecchia in Livorno and the Cittadella of Alessandria.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Domenico Tenaglia (1632-1698), an Italian painter and engraver active in the late 17th century. He is known for his religious works and engravings, with many of his pieces still preserved in churches and museums across Italy.

Other individuals with the surname Tenaglia include Girolamo Tenaglia (1638-1718), an Italian mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of calculus and the study of comets, and Giuseppe Tenaglia (1789-1854), an Italian architect and engineer who worked on various architectural projects in the city of Genoa during the early 19th century.

While the surname Tenaglia is most prevalent in Italy, it has also been carried by individuals of Italian descent in other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and historical connections between Italy and various regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tenaglia

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!