History of your Surname
Get access to Tansey family records.Start a free trial

Tansey Family History

Tansey Name Meaning

Irish (Connacht): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Tánaiste ‘son of the tanist’. In traditional Gaelic society the tanist was a senior and respected member of a clan who was heir presumptive to its chief. Clan leadership was not hereditary but depended on ability. English (Leicestershire): usually a variant of Tanzer with the final syllable pronounced -sy but occasionally a shortened form of Tansley .

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


Similar surnames: Tinney, Tarpey, Tunney, Hanley, Manley, Tanney, Linsey, Nanney

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Tansey family from?

You can see how Tansey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tansey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tansey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there was 1 Tansey family living in Iowa Territory. This was about 25% of all the recorded Tansey's in USA. Iowa Territory and 3 other states had the highest population of Tansey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tansey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Tansey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tansey. 12% of Tansey men worked as a Salesman and 9% of Tansey women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tansey were Farmer and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Tansey | 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 1940

  • Salesman
    12%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Farmer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Clerk
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Tansey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Tansey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tansey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Tansey

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Tansey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tansey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Tansey. For the veterans among your Tansey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tansey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tansey family history

Discover More

What is the average Tansey lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Tansey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Tansey in 1950 was 46, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tansey

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tansey family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Tansey last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial