The Teal surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,937 people carried this name — #3,976 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 33,000 people counted. That is up 3% from 8,716 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Teal surname

A surname transferred from the nickname.

From teal, a nickname given to someone considered to resemble this duck.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Teal» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the teal’.

An early record he cites: Matilda Tele, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Teal, Teall and Teel.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 739 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Teal was found among the farmers of Yorkshire, West Riding: 13 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Teal and Teale.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, West Riding 13

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

66 families named Teal, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 363 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 21
New York 11
Massachusetts 10
North Carolina 10
Connecticut 5
Maine 3
Rhode Island 3
New Hampshire 1
Maryland 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 264 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Teal in American newspapers,
1896–1916.

Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Teal
Daily Kennebec Journal 1908-07-22
Newspaper page from The Colfax Chronicle carrying the name Teal
The Colfax Chronicle 1896-07-11
Newspaper page from The Caldwell Watchman carrying the name Teal
The Caldwell Watchman 1916-01-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Teal in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1980s.

3,360 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Teal. The most, 496, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 1,565
New South Wales 801
Queensland 511
South Australia 236
Western Australia 133
Tasmania 80
ACT (Canberra) 20
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Teal.

Who carried it

People named Teal,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Angeline Teal
    Angeline Teal 1842–1913 · writer
  • Ray Teal
    Ray Teal 1902–1976 · actor
  • Gordon Kidd Teal
    Gordon Kidd Teal 1907–2003 · chemist
  • Luke Teal d. 1661
  • Elizabeth Ripley 1612–1673
  • Sonne Teal 1928–1966 · actor

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Teal,
in the records of 5 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States602 records

602 records of the Teal name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 321
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 110
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 68
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 47
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 25
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 23
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 5
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 2
  • Riverside Cemetery, Asheville (North Carolina) 1
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Joseph B. Teal

    Born 1925 in Missouri. Enlisted 1944 at Jefferson Barracks; driver from St Louis City. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Masonic Cemetery, Piedmont, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Fred Thomas Teal

    Born 1949; from Cucamonga, California. U.S. Army, radio operator; killed in action 1969 in Binh Long, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Anna Teal

    Arrived at New York in 1851 aboard the Perthshire from Liverpool, aged 18; servant. From Great Britain.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 602 records for Teal in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada188 records

188 records of the Teal name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 177
  • City of Niagara Falls (Ontario) cemetery records 5
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 1
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 1
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 1
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Teal

    Came to Ontario in 1881 aboard the Grecian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Teal

    Died 1962, aged 49; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ulam Royorphus Teal

    Died 1959 in LaHave, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 188 records for Teal in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia108 records

108 records of the Teal name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 59
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 26
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 20
  • Tasmanian Names Index 3
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Teal

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the John Calvin, sailing from Woolwich in 1846. Native of Yorkshire.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Teal

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Marco Polo, aged 25; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Teal

    Divorcee of Albert Park, Victoria; died 1972.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 108 records for Teal in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Teal name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Percival John Teal

    Died 1975, aged 80; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Teal in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom2 records

2 records of the Teal name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. Teal

    Gunner, South Lancashire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record C. W. Teal

    London Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Teal.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Teal is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Teal volume
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