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Tennessee Family History

Tennessee Surname Meaning

African American: apparently from the name of the US state possibly via the personal name Tennessee.

Alternatively perhaps an altered form of English Tansey.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Tennessee family from?

You can see how Tennessee families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tennessee family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Tennessee families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2 Tennessee families living in Essex. This was 100% of all the recorded Tennessee's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Tennessee families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tennessee 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 Tennessee ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tennessee. 36% of Tennessee men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Tennessee women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tennessee were Dentist and Cook.

View Census Data for Tennessee | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    36%
  • Farmer
    28%
  • Farm Laborer
    12%
  • Dentist
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    34%
  • Housewife
    17%
  • Farm Laborer
    17%
  • Cook
    12%

What Tennessee family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Tennessee. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tennessee census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tennessee

Passenger Lists

There are 231 immigration records available for the last name Tennessee. 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 Tennessee immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Tennessee. For the veterans among your Tennessee ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tennessee military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tennessee family history

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What is the average Tennessee lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Tennessee life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Tennessee in 1955 was 60, and 57 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tennessee

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tennessee 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tennessee family tree

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