Explore the Family Name Tankard

The meaning of Tankard

English (West Yorkshire): 1. from the Old French personal name Tancard (ancient Germanic Tancard, from thank- ‘think, thank’ + hard- ‘hard, bold’). 2. perhaps occasionally a metonymic occupational name from Middle English tan(c)kard(e) ‘cask, tun; drinking vessel’, for someone who made or sold casks or drinking vessels.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Tankard in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Tankard has seen a slight uptick in its popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 47,308 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010, it had climbed to 46,219. The count of individuals with this surname also increased from 422 in 2000 to 461 in 2010, marking a growth of approximately 9.24%. Despite this increase in absolute numbers, the proportion per 100,000 people remained consistent at 0.16.

20002010Change
Rank#47,308#46,2192.3%
Count4224619.24%
Proportion per 100k0.160.160%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tankard

In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts among those carrying the Tankard surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage identifying as White decreased slightly from 42.18% to 39.48%, while those identifying as Black remained relatively stable at around 55.5%. Individuals who identify with two or more ethnicities saw a significant increase from 1.42% to 3.25%. The census did not register any individuals with this surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.

20002010Change
Black55.69%55.53%-0.29%
White42.18%39.48%-6.4%
Two or More Races1.42%3.25%128.87%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Hispanic0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%