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Tenley Family History

Tenley Name Meaning

English: habitational name, possibly from Tineley in Northumberland, thought to be named with Old English tind ‘tine’, ‘spike’ + leah ‘forest clearing’, or possibly from Teenley, in West Yorkshire, which is recorded in 1538 as Tyndeley and may be named as ‘burnt (Middle English tend) clearing’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Henley, Tetley, Denley, Kenley, Hensley, Manley, Exley, Onley, Fenley

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Tenley family from?

You can see how Tenley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tenley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tenley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Tenley families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 33% of all the recorded Tenley's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Tenley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tenley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Tenley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Office Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tenley. 20% of Tenley men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Tenley women worked as an Office Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tenley were Clerk and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Tenley | 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

  • Laborer
    20%
  • Miner
    16%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Office Clerk
    50%
  • Clerk
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Tenley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Tenley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tenley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Tenley

Passenger Lists

There are 218 immigration records available for the last name Tenley. 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 Tenley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 463 military records available for the last name Tenley. For the veterans among your Tenley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tenley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tenley family history

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What is the average Tenley lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Tenley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Tenley in 1962 was 76, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tenley

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