NameCensus.

UK surname

Tennison

A surname of English origin, derived from a place name meaning "farm or settlement of Tenni's people."

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Tennison surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 192, ranked #20,118, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Kilnsea and Owthorne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tennison is 269 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.6%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

192

2016, ranked #20,118

Peak year

1911

269 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tennison had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 192 in 2016, ranked #20,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tennison surname distribution map

The map shows where the Tennison surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Tennison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tennison over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 125 #14,700
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 177 #16,330
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 269 #12,300
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 194 #18,651
2003 modern 189 #18,738
2004 modern 194 #18,566
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 194 #19,011
2009 modern 192 #19,527
2010 modern 200 #19,457
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 207 #18,777
2013 modern 198 #19,657
2014 modern 199 #19,775
2015 modern 190 #20,272
2016 modern 192 #20,118

Geography

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Where Tennisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Kilnsea, Owthorne, Beverley St John and Aldborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and North Lincolnshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Kilnsea Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Owthorne Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Beverley St John Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Aldborough Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 031 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 014 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 029 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Kingston upon Hull 009 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tennison

These lists show first names that appear often with the Tennison surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tennison

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tennison, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Tennison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tennison household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Tennison is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tennison is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tennison falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tennison is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tennison, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tennison

The surname Tennison has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "tun," meaning an enclosure or village, and "hus," meaning a house or dwelling. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a town or village, distinguishing them from those living in rural areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Tenisun." This document, a survey of landholders in England, provides valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that time period.

The Tennison surname has also appeared in various historical records, such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334, where it is spelled "Tenysone." These records, which were used for the collection of taxes, offer a glimpse into the economic and social status of individuals bearing the name.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes spelled as "Tennyngson," as seen in the records of St. Mary's Church in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, where a John Tennyngson was mentioned in 1564. This variation in spelling was common during that period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

One notable individual with the Tennison surname was Sir Thomas Tennison, who lived from 1608 to 1668. He was a Member of Parliament for St. Albans and held the position of High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1664. His son, Thomas Tennison, born in 1636, became the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1694 until his death in 1715.

Another prominent figure was Edward Tennison, born in 1672, who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire from 1701 to 1708. His son, also named Edward Tennison, followed in his footsteps and represented the same borough in Parliament from 1722 to 1734.

In the 18th century, the Tennison family had connections to the county of Lincolnshire. Reverend John Tennison, born in 1715, was the Rector of Gedney in Lincolnshire from 1741 until his death in 1785.

While the surname Tennison has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was likely associated with specific towns or villages and served as a way to identify individuals and their place of residence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tennison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tennison surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 108 Tennisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.60x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 108 7.60x
Nottinghamshire 17 8.80x
Cheshire 9 2.84x
Middlesex 7 0.49x
Cumberland 1 0.81x
Devon 1 0.34x
Lanarkshire 1 0.22x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.21x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 13 Tennisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.70x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 13 57.70x
Southcoates 13 164.77x
Nottingham St Mary 12 24.00x
Weel 9 15000.00x
Great Driffield 8 273.97x
South Frodingham 8 8888.89x
Kilnsea 7 7777.78x
Aldbrough In Skirlaugh 6 2307.69x
Hollym 6 4615.38x
Holy Trinity 6 17.56x
Bulwell 5 119.05x
Cottingham 5 163.40x
Ashton On Mersey 4 243.90x
Bethnal Green London 4 6.42x
Hyde 4 42.83x
Ottringham 4 1428.57x
Ryhill Camerton 4 3076.92x
Beverley St Nicholas 3 256.41x
York St Mary 3 51.02x
Easington In Patrington 2 1052.63x
Mile End Old Town 2 8.84x
Nafferton 2 327.87x
Barony 1 0.85x
Beverley St Mary 1 48.08x
Birkenhead 1 3.96x
Burton Extra 1 36.10x
Croydon 1 2.58x
Devonport 1 29.15x
Filey 1 86.96x
Heaton Norris 1 10.33x
Hilderthorpe 1 138.89x
Holme St Cuthbert 1 270.27x
Islington London 1 0.72x
Maltby In Rotherham 1 250.00x
Mappleton Rowlston 1 1111.11x
Pocklington 1 74.63x
Reedness 1 416.67x
Ripon 1 30.30x
Sutton 1 61.73x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tennison surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Adah 1
Anne 1
Catherina 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lora 1
Lucy 1
Luesia 1
Maggie 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Pricilla 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tennison surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 11
George 9
John 9
Robert 8
James 6
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Thomas 3
David 2
Harry 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Tom 2
...lton 1
Allan 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Jonathan 1
Medforth 1
Patrick 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tennison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tennison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Tennison surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tennison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 192 in 2016. That gives Tennison a modern rank of #20,118.

What does the Tennison surname mean?

A surname of English origin, derived from a place name meaning "farm or settlement of Tenni's people."

What does the Tennison map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tennison bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.