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Tierney Family History

Tierney Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened form of O'Tierney, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tíghearnaigh ‘descendant of Tighearnach’, a byname meaning ‘lord master’.

The Gaelic name is sometimes ‘translated’ as English Lord.

Compare Tiernan.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Tierney family from?

You can see how Tierney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tierney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tierney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 382 Tierney families living in Lancashire. This was about 42% of all the recorded Tierney's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Tierney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tierney 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 Tierney ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Tierney. 24% of Tierney men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Tierney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tierney were Barman and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Tierney | 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

  • General Labourer
    24%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Dock Labourer
    7%
  • Barman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Tierney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 111,000 census records available for the last name Tierney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tierney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tierney

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Tierney. 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 Tierney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Tierney. For the veterans among your Tierney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tierney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tierney family history

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What is the average Tierney lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Tierney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Tierney in 1942 was 51, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tierney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tierney 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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