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

Tennon, 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 Tennon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tennon in America

Tennon is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tennon surname appeared 165 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 Tennon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tennon 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 Tennon

The surname Tennon is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "tynnan," meaning "to enclose" or "to fence," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who worked as a fencemaker or lived near an enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tennon can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a certain John Tennon was baptized in 1589. This entry provides a glimpse into the name's early presence in the region.

In the 17th century, the surname Tennon appeared in various historical documents, including the Hearth Tax records of 1662, which listed a William Tennon as a resident of the village of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. This reference suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

The Tennon surname has also been linked to several place names, notably the village of Tennant's Green in Herefordshire, which was formerly known as "Tennon's Green" in the 16th century. This connection implies that some Tennons may have derived their name from this location or had associations with it.

Throughout history, several noteworthy individuals have borne the Tennon surname. One such figure was Sir John Tennon (1610-1678), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Charles II. Another notable bearer of the name was William Tennon (1784-1848), a Scottish writer and poet who gained recognition for his works on Scottish history and folklore.

Other individuals of note with the Tennon surname include Mary Tennon (1736-1804), an English author and playwright known for her pioneering feminist works; Thomas Tennon (1825-1892), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London; and James Tennon (1875-1948), a Scottish inventor and engineer who patented several innovative devices related to textile machinery.

While the Tennon surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its historical roots and connections to various locations, occupations, and notable individuals have contributed to its enduring legacy as a distinctive surname with deep ties to English and Scottish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tennon

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

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

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

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