Explore the Family Name Tanner
The meaning of Tanner
1. English (southern) and Dutch: occupational name for a tanner of skins, Middle English tanner, Middle Dutch taenre. The Middle English form derives from Old English tannere, from Late Latin tannarius, reinforced by Old French taneor, from Late Latin tannator; both Late Latin forms derive from a verb tannare, possibly from a Celtic word for the oak, whose bark was used in the process. 2. German: topographic name from Middle High German tan ‘woods, pine forest’ for someone who lived near such terrain. 3. German: habitational name for someone from any of several places called Tanne (in the Harz Mountains, Bavaria, East Prussia, Switzerland) or Tann (Hesse, Bavaria), Thann (Bavaria, Austria, Alsace), Tannen (southern Germany, Switzerland), Thannen (Bavaria). 4. Finnish: ornamental name from tanner ‘open field’. Adopted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries name-changing campaigns mainly in southern and southwestern Finland to replace Finnish and Swedish surnames (compare Laine 4).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tanner in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Tanner has seen slight changes over the years. In 2000, Tanner ranked 675th in terms of surname prevalence, with a count of 46,412 individuals carrying the name. This translated to approximately 17.2 people per 100k population. By 2010, Tanner had slipped slightly in rank to 709th, despite an increase in the number of people bearing the name; the count rose to 48,813 (approximately 16.55 per 100k). This represents a 5.17% increase in count, but a 5.04% decrease in rank and a 3.78% decrease in proportion per 100k.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #675 | #709 | -5.04% |
| Count | 46,412 | 48,813 | 5.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 17.2 | 16.55 | -3.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tanner
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights about the ethnic identity associated with the surname Tanner. In 2000, the majority of Tanners identified as White (84.06%), followed by Black (11.26%). By 2010, while the majority still identified as White, the percentage had dropped to 82.75%. The percentage of Tanners identifying as Black also decreased slightly to 10.94%. Over the decade, the proportions of Tanners identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all saw increases, with the most significant being Hispanic (from 1.61% to 2.32%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.45% to 0.63%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.06% | 82.75% | -1.56% |
| Black | 11.26% | 10.94% | -2.84% |
| Hispanic | 1.61% | 2.32% | 44.1% |
| Two or More Races | 1.61% | 2.21% | 37.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.01% | 1.14% | 12.87% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.63% | 40% |
Tanner ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Tanner is British & Irish, which comprises 55.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.8%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.8% |
| French & German | 22.8% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 17.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Tanner
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Tanner have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
What Tanner haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Tanner is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-Z159, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Baker, Schafer, Wright, Nash, Harrison, Wilkinson, Ernst, Perry, Barr, Mason.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Tanner surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Tanner have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Tanner" Surname 40.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Tanner" Surname 31.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Tanner" Surname 22.1%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Tanner" Surname 19.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Tanner?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Tanner are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition