what does it mean?
all that i know is that it is of American orgin and is a femine name
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See here: http://www.behindthename.com/bb/dosearch.php?board=gen&terms=Tenille&operator=OR&in_subject=1&in_message=1&when=all.And next time, please use the search feature which is right next to the "Post a Message" link.
Miranda
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This was originally the surname of the singer Toni Tennille, and became a given name because many people assumed it was her first name because she was part of the singing duo billed as "The Captain and Tennille". It is a real family name and was not invented to be a stage name. The Tennilles in the USA believe the name was originally French, which may be the case, but so far I haven't found it listed as a French surname in reference books. Dauzat's Noms et prenoms de France lists Teneuille as a suname from a place called Theneuille, but gives no etymology for the place name.
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Etymology of TheneuilleIt seems that Theneuille (and other French place names as Théneuil, e.g.) comes from the Gallic root tanno-, "kind of green oak". This root is present in Breton, tannen, "oak"; in old Irish, tinne or teine, "holly tree"; in Cornish, glastannen, "oak" or "holm oak" More information, and controversy about some related words, at:
http://monsu.desiderio.free.fr/jardin/chene.html (in French)Lumia
http://onomastica.mailcatala.com
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Thanks a lot for your help! It would also be helpful to know how both Teneuille and Tenaille, the other French surname suggested by Menke as a possible source of Tennille, are pronounced in France, to help figure out which one (if either) is the more likely source of the American surname Tennille.
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