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

Tunnell, 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 Tunnell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tunnell in America

Tunnell is the 9652nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tunnell surname appeared 3,362 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tunnell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tunnell 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 Tunnell

The surname Tunnell originated in England during the late Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "tunnelman," which referred to a person who lived or worked near a tunnel or underground passage. The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the 13th century, when it was spelled as "Tunnelle" or "Tunnele."

In medieval times, tunnels were often used for mining, transportation, or defensive purposes. The Tunnell surname may have been adopted by individuals who worked as miners, tunnel builders, or lived near such structures. It is also possible that the name was initially a descriptive nickname given to someone who resided near a particular tunnel or underground passage in a specific locality.

One of the earliest known references to the Tunnell surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1273, where a person named "John Tunnelle" is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the surname's existence in northern England during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Tunnell," "Tunnel," and "Tunnyll." For instance, a John Tunnyll was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, indicating the surname's presence in the West Midlands region.

Notable individuals with the Tunnell surname throughout history include:

1. Robert Tunnell (c. 1592-1654), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk.
2. John Tunnell (1738-1828), an American Revolutionary War soldier and pioneer who settled in Kentucky.
3. Ebenezer Tunnell (1799-1875), an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Ohio Senate.
4. Garland Tunnell (1915-1999), an American actor and comedian best known for his appearances in films and television shows in the 1950s and 1960s.
5. Emlen Tunnell (1925-1975), an American professional football player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive backs in NFL history.

The Tunnell surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Tunnell Hill in West Virginia and Tunnell Creek in Ohio, which may have derived their names from early settlers bearing the Tunnell surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tunnell

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

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

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

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