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

Tenner, 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 Tenner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tenner in America

Tenner is the 24982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tenner surname appeared 995 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 Tenner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tenner 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 Tenner

The surname Tenner has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Tenne," which means "threshing floor" or "barn." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked at a threshing floor or barn.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tenner can be found in the medieval records of the city of Cologne, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, a certain "Johannes Tenner" is mentioned as a landowner and farmer in the region.

As the name spread throughout German-speaking regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Tener, Thenner, and Tenner. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time.

The Tenner surname is also associated with certain place names in Germany, such as Tenhausen and Tennstedt. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Tenner throughout history are:

1. Johann Tenner (1543-1616), a German theologian and reformer known for his contributions to the Protestant Reformation.
2. Hans Tenner (1620-1689), a German architect and builder who designed several churches and public buildings in the Rhineland region.
3. Maria Tenner (1700-1778), a German painter renowned for her still-life and portrait works during the Baroque period.
4. Friedrich Tenner (1825-1903), a German industrialist and entrepreneur who founded one of the earliest textile manufacturing companies in the region.
5. Karl Tenner (1876-1942), a German archaeologist and historian who made significant discoveries related to ancient Roman settlements in modern-day Germany.

While the surname Tenner may not have been as widespread as some other German surnames, its history can be traced back to the medieval period, with connections to various occupations, places, and notable individuals over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tenner

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

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

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

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