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

Tengan, 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 Tengan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tengan in America

Tengan is the 43151st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tengan surname appeared 501 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 Tengan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tengan 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 Tengan

The surname Tengan has its origins in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 14th century on the island of Okinawa. The name is derived from the Okinawan word "tengan" which means "guardian" or "protector."

The earliest recorded references to the Tengan surname can be found in historical records from the Kingdom of Ryukyu, which ruled over the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th to the 19th century. One notable mention is in the Chuzan Seifu, a historical text from the 17th century that documented the genealogy and lineage of noble families in the kingdom.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Tengan Anko (1531-1597) was a renowned scholar and advisor to the King of Ryukyu. He played a significant role in facilitating diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Ryukyu and other nations, including China and Japan.

Another notable individual with the Tengan surname was Tengan Hiroshi (1902-1983), a politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture from 1960 to 1968. He was instrumental in the post-World War II reconstruction efforts in Okinawa.

In the realm of martial arts, Tengan Yoshiaki (1935-2003) was a highly respected karate master and founder of the Tengan-ryu style of Okinawan karate. His teachings and contributions to the preservation of traditional Okinawan martial arts have been widely recognized.

The Tengan surname can also be traced back to certain place names in Okinawa, such as the village of Tengan in Naha City. This village was historically home to many families bearing the Tengan surname.

While the Tengan surname has its roots in Okinawa, it is also found in other parts of Japan, particularly among families with ancestral ties to the Ryukyu Islands. However, the highest concentration of individuals with this surname continues to be in Okinawa Prefecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tengan

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

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

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

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