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

Tigney, 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 Tigney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tigney in America

Tigney is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tigney surname appeared 115 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 Tigney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tigney 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 Tigney

The surname Tigney has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "tig" meaning "hay" and "ey" meaning "island" or "land surrounded by water," suggesting that the name may have referred to an area where hay was grown on an island or low-lying land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire from 1189, where a landowner named Robert de Teigney is listed as paying taxes. This spelling variation, "Teigney," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire (1279) make reference to a John de Tyghenye, further solidifying the name's presence in historical records. This particular spelling variation suggests a connection to the village of Teigngrace in Devon, which may have been the ancestral homeland of some Tigney families.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct mentions of the Tigney surname. However, it does record several place names that bear similarity, such as Teignmouth and Teigngrace, indicating the name's potential geographical origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Tigney include Sir Thomas Tigney (1515-1578), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was John Tigney (1620-1687), a successful merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who played a role in the English Civil War by providing financial support to the Parliamentarian cause.

In the 18th century, the Tigney name appears in church records from Yorkshire, with the baptism of Elizabeth Tigney in 1724. Additionally, the marriage of William Tigney and Mary Ainsworth was recorded in Lancashire in 1762, further showcasing the name's presence across various regions of England.

Other noteworthy individuals include Mary Tigney (1790-1865), a celebrated author and poet from Derbyshire, whose works explored themes of nature and rural life. In the 20th century, Sir Arthur Tigney (1901-1978) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to various charitable organizations in London.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tigney

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

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

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

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