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

Tunsil, 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 Tunsil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tunsil in America

Tunsil is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tunsil surname appeared 120 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 Tunsil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tunsil 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 Tunsil

The surname TUNSIL originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from an Old English place name that translates to "enclosure near a town." It was initially recorded in various forms, such as Tunshill, Tunshille, and Tunsyll, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where one Robert de Tunshill is mentioned. This suggests that the name likely arose in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire or its surrounding areas.

In the 14th century, the TUNSIL name appeared in the Court Rolls of Cambridgeshire, indicating its spread to other regions of the country. One notable example is John Tunsill, a landowner recorded in the manorial records of Sawston in 1346.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the TUNSIL surname. However, it does mention several place names that could have influenced the name's origins, such as Tunstall (a combination of "tun" meaning "town" and "stallr" meaning "wooded area").

Throughout history, several individuals bearing the TUNSIL surname have left their mark. One notable figure was Sir William Tunsill (1525-1592), a prominent merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1573. Another was Thomas Tunsill (1678-1743), an English clergyman and author who published several religious works.

In the 19th century, George Tunsill (1817-1892) gained recognition as a successful industrialist and philanthropist in Birmingham, contributing significantly to the development of the city's metal trades. Edward Tunsill (1842-1919), a renowned architect, designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

Lastly, the writer and journalist Mary Tunsill (1891-1976) gained acclaim for her novels and short stories, which often explored themes of social justice and women's rights in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tunsil

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

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

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

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