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Tanfield Family History

Tanfield Surname Meaning

Primarily from East and West Tanfield (NR Yorks) which is recorded as Tanefeld in 1086 but perhaps occasionally also from Tanfield (Durham) which is recorded as Tamefeld in 1175. The origin of the NR Yorks place-name is uncertain but it may derive from an Old English personal name *Tān or Old English tān ‘twig sprout shoot’ (genitive plural tāna) + feld ‘open country’.

The Durham place takes its name from the river Team (the name of which is related to the Indo-European root *tā- *tə- ‘melt flow’) + Old English feld.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Tanfield family from?

You can see how Tanfield families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tanfield family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Tanfield families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 129 Tanfield families living in Yorkshire. This was about 55% of all the recorded Tanfield's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Tanfield families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tanfield surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Tanfield ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tanfield. 100% of Tanfield men worked as a Builders Labourer and 76% of Tanfield women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Tanfield | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Household Duties poultry Asst
    4%

What Tanfield family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Tanfield. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tanfield census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tanfield

Passenger Lists

There are 448 immigration records available for the last name Tanfield. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tanfield immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 394 military records available for the last name Tanfield. For the veterans among your Tanfield ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tanfield military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tanfield family history

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What is the average Tanfield lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Tanfield life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Tanfield in 1966 was 75, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tanfield

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tanfield ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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