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

Tennessen Family History

Tennessen Name Meaning

Americanized form of Norwegian Tønnessen (see Tonnessen ) and of its North German cognates Tönnessen or Thönnessen. Compare Tenneson . In some cases possibly also an altered form of English Tennyson .

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


Similar surnames: Tonnessen, Tonnesen, Teunissen, Jenness, Tennell, Nellessen

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 Tennessen family from?

You can see how Tennessen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tennessen family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Tennessen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 12 Tennessen families living in Wisconsin. This was 100% of all the recorded Tennessen's in USA. Wisconsin had the highest population of Tennessen families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tennessen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Tennessen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tennessen. 27% of Tennessen men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Tennessen women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tennessen were Clerk and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Tennessen | 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

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farm Laborer
    10%
  • Clerk
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Tennessen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 819 census records available for the last name Tennessen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tennessen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Tennessen

Passenger Lists

There are 223 immigration records available for the last name Tennessen. 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 Tennessen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 193 military records available for the last name Tennessen. For the veterans among your Tennessen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tennessen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tennessen family history

Discover More

What is the average Tennessen lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Tennessen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Tennessen in 1957 was 60, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tennessen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tennessen family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Tennessen last name

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