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Tiernan Family History

Tiernan Surname Meaning

Irish (Roscommon and Leitrim): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tíghearnáin ‘descendant of Tíghearnán’ a diminutive of Tighearna a byname meaning ‘lord master’.

Compare Tierney McKiernan.

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 Tiernan family from?

You can see how Tiernan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tiernan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tiernan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 30 Tiernan families living in Lancashire. This was about 57% of all the recorded Tiernan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Tiernan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tiernan 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 Tiernan 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 Tiernan. 25% of Tiernan men worked as a Builders Labourer and 100% of Tiernan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Tiernan | 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
    25%
  • Grocers Assistant
    25%
  • Newspaper Roundsman
    25%
  • Carpenter (h W)
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Tiernan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Tiernan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tiernan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tiernan

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Tiernan. 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 Tiernan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Tiernan. For the veterans among your Tiernan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tiernan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tiernan family history

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What is the average Tiernan lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Tiernan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Tiernan in 1946 was 23, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tiernan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tiernan 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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