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

Tunnicliff, 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 Tunnicliff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tunnicliff in America

Tunnicliff is the 59742nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tunnicliff surname appeared 338 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 Tunnicliff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tunnicliff 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 Tunnicliff

The surname Tunnicliff originated in England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where it was first recorded in the 13th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old English words "tunnoc," meaning a small hill or mound, and "clif," meaning a cliff or steep slope. Therefore, Tunnicliff likely referred to someone who lived near a small hill or cliff.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Tunnocklive." This suggests that the spelling has evolved over time from its Old English roots.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Tunnokcliff" and "Tunnoklyffe," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. During this period, the Tunnicliff family was primarily concentrated in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where they were likely involved in agriculture or related occupations.

The Tunnicliff surname can also be traced back to place names in these counties, such as Tunnockliffe in Lincolnshire and Tunnockliffe Hall in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English words that gave rise to the surname.

One notable figure bearing the Tunnicliff name was Thomas Tunnicliff (1610-1669), an English clergyman and writer who served as the rector of Friston in Suffolk. He published several works, including a book titled "The Way of Life" in 1663.

Another individual of note was John Tunnicliff (1745-1816), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of captain and was involved in several notable battles and engagements.

In the 19th century, the Tunnicliff surname spread more widely across England, with families settling in various counties. One prominent figure from this era was William Tunnicliff (1819-1898), a successful banker and businessman from Yorkshire who was also involved in local politics and served as a magistrate.

Elizabeth Tunnicliff (1836-1911) was a notable English educator and author who wrote several books on teaching methods and children's literature. She was a pioneer in promoting the use of literature in education and advocated for the importance of reading in child development.

Finally, James Tunnicliff (1870-1946) was a British architect who was particularly known for his work in designing churches and ecclesiastical buildings. Some of his notable projects include the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Chiswick, London, and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Twickenham.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tunnicliff

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

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

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

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