Tench History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Tench surname comes form the Old French word "tenche," which was a type of freshwater fish; as such it is thought to have evolved from a nickname. 1

Early Origins of the Tench family

The surname Tench was first found in Lincolnshire where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 first list the name as John Tenche. 2

Early History of the Tench family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tench research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1599, 1600, 1618, 1621, 1628, 1640, 1670, 1675, 1690, 1712 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Tench History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tench Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Tench has been recorded under many different variations, including Tench, Tenche, Tenches, Tenge, Tange, Tanch and others.

Early Notables of the Tench family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Teonge (1621-1690), English chaplain in the Navy and diarist, a native of Wolverton, Warwickshire, son of George Teonge. "Previous to 1670 he was rector of Alcester. On 7 June 1670 he was...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tench Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tench family to Ireland

Some of the Tench family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tench migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Tench or a variant listed above:

Tench Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Tench, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship "Fortune" 3
Francis Tench, who arrived in Maryland in 1669 3
Jane Tench, who landed in Maryland in 1669 3
John Tench, who landed in Maryland in 1669 3
Ester Tench, who landed in Maryland in 1679 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tench Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Tench, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Tench (post 1700) +

Benjamin Montmorency Tench III (b. 1953), American keyboardist, founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Benmont Tench Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 1956 (delegation secretary)
Robert Tench (1944-2024), British vocalist, guitarist, sideman, songwriter and arranger
Robert "Bobby" Tench (b. 1944), British vocalist and guitarist
Lieutenant-General Watkin Tench (1758-1833), British Marine officer and author of two books about his exploits with the First Fleet
William Henry Tench, Chief Inspector of Accidents, Department of Trade
David Tench McKean (b. 1963), English illustrator and photographer
Lieutenant Colonel Tench Tilghman (1744-1786), American officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary war, aide de camp to General George Washington
Tench Coxe (1755-1824), American political economist
Tench Tilghman, American politician, U.S. Consul in Mayagüez, 1849-52 4

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html