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

Tencza, 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 Tencza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tencza in America

Tencza is the 37125th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tencza surname appeared 601 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 Tencza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tencza 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 Tencza

The surname TENCZA is believed to have originated in Poland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "tęcza," which translates to "rainbow." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon someone who had a connection to rainbows, potentially through a profession, physical appearance, or symbolic association.

One of the earliest documented references to the TENCZA surname can be found in the Parish Records of Krakow, Poland, from the year 1589. The record mentions a certain Jan TENCZA, a resident of the city at that time. It's worth noting that variations in spelling, such as TĘCZA or TĘNCZA, were common in historical records due to differences in scribal practices and regional dialects.

In the 17th century, the TENCZA surname appears in the Nobility Records of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This suggests that members of the TENCZA family held noble status during that period, although specific details about their roles or achievements are scarce.

Renowned individuals bearing the TENCZA surname throughout history include Michał TENCZA (1570-1638), a Polish nobleman and military leader who fought in the Polish-Muscovite War of 1609-1618. Another notable figure was Katarzyna TENCZA (1684-1752), a Polish writer and poet who published a collection of religious poems titled "Pieśni Duchowne" (Spiritual Songs) in 1726.

In the 19th century, Józef TENCZA (1802-1867) gained recognition as a Polish artist and painter, known for his landscapes and portraits. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and later became a professor at the same institution.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the TENCZA surname also gained prominence in the field of music. Stanisław TENCZA (1874-1948) was a Polish composer and conductor who composed several operas, including "Jadwiga" and "Król Jadwiga" (King Jadwiga), as well as orchestral works and choral pieces.

While the TENCZA surname may have originated from a descriptive term or occupation related to rainbows, it has since become a well-established Polish surname with a rich history spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, literature, art, and music.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tencza

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

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

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

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