9,552 Global TENNANT Family Members

TENNANT Family History

Recorded as Tenant, Tenaunt and Tennant, this is an English status surname. It originally described a husbandman, the later description being a farmer, or one who held lands from an overlord. The derivation is from the pre 10th century Olde French word "tenant", introduced by the victorious Normans after the Invasion of 1066. The origination is from the word "tenir", meaning to hold, and the first known surname recording is from the early 14th century, as shown below. Early examples of the surname recording include: Johannes Tenant in the original Poll Tax register for the county of Yorkshire in 1379, whilst Philip Swalowe married Elizabeth Tennante at St.