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

Tenny, 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 Tenny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tenny in America

Tenny is the 34707th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tenny surname appeared 651 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 Tenny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tenny 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 Tenny

The surname Tenny originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tun," meaning a village or an enclosed area of land. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a particular town or settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Tenny can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable reference is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Robert de la Tun. This spelling variation, "de la Tun," further reinforces the connection to the Old English word "tun."

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Tenny, Tenney, and Tunny. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period.

One prominent individual bearing the surname Tenny was Sir John Tenny, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 15th century. He was a landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in 1472.

Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Tenny, born in 1608 in Rowley, Yorkshire. He was among the early Puritan settlers who emigrated to New England in 1638, establishing roots in Rowley, Massachusetts. Descendants of Thomas Tenny can be found throughout the United States, particularly in the New England region.

In the 17th century, the surname Tenny was also associated with several place names in England. For instance, Tennyson's Close in Lincolnshire and Tenny Hall in Pembrokeshire were both named after individuals bearing this surname.

Among the famous individuals with the surname Tenny, one cannot overlook Alfred Tennyson, the renowned English poet laureate who lived from 1809 to 1892. Though his surname was spelled slightly differently (Tennyson), it is believed to have originated from the same root as Tenny.

Other notable figures include John Tenny, a successful businessman and landowner in 18th century Virginia, and Mary Tenny, a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights in the 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tenny

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

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

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

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