diff --git a/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.1.0.rst b/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.1.0.rst
index b7adf7bf0d80d..e349745d51e83 100644
--- a/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.1.0.rst
+++ b/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.1.0.rst
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ Reshaping
 
 -
 - Bug in :meth:`DataFrame.pivot_table` when only MultiIndexed columns is set (:issue:`17038`)
+- Bug in :meth:`DataFrame.unstack` and :meth:`Series.unstack` can take tuple names in MultiIndexed data (:issue:`19966`)
 - Bug in :meth:`DataFrame.pivot_table` when ``margin`` is ``True`` and only ``column`` is defined (:issue:`31016`)
 - Fix incorrect error message in :meth:`DataFrame.pivot` when ``columns`` is set to ``None``. (:issue:`30924`)
 - Bug in :func:`crosstab` when inputs are two Series and have tuple names, the output will keep dummy MultiIndex as columns. (:issue:`18321`)
diff --git a/pandas/core/reshape/reshape.py b/pandas/core/reshape/reshape.py
index 97f416e32d07b..fab9f41cb6c4f 100644
--- a/pandas/core/reshape/reshape.py
+++ b/pandas/core/reshape/reshape.py
@@ -317,6 +317,10 @@ def _unstack_multiple(data, clocs, fill_value=None):
 
     index = data.index
 
+    # GH 19966 Make sure if MultiIndexed index has tuple name, they will be
+    # recognised as a whole
+    if clocs in index.names:
+        clocs = [clocs]
     clocs = [index._get_level_number(i) for i in clocs]
 
     rlocs = [i for i in range(index.nlevels) if i not in clocs]
diff --git a/pandas/tests/frame/test_reshape.py b/pandas/tests/frame/test_reshape.py
index 60b7611c8b9be..b3af5a7b7317e 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/frame/test_reshape.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/frame/test_reshape.py
@@ -336,6 +336,80 @@ def test_unstack_fill_frame_categorical(self):
         )
         tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
 
+    def test_unstack_tuplename_in_multiindex(self):
+        # GH 19966
+        idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_product(
+            [["a", "b", "c"], [1, 2, 3]], names=[("A", "a"), ("B", "b")]
+        )
+        df = pd.DataFrame({"d": [1] * 9, "e": [2] * 9}, index=idx)
+        result = df.unstack(("A", "a"))
+
+        expected = pd.DataFrame(
+            [[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2], [1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2], [1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2]],
+            columns=pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+                [
+                    ("d", "a"),
+                    ("d", "b"),
+                    ("d", "c"),
+                    ("e", "a"),
+                    ("e", "b"),
+                    ("e", "c"),
+                ],
+                names=[None, ("A", "a")],
+            ),
+            index=pd.Index([1, 2, 3], name=("B", "b")),
+        )
+        tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "unstack_idx, expected_values, expected_index, expected_columns",
+        [
+            (
+                ("A", "a"),
+                [[1, 1, 2, 2], [1, 1, 2, 2], [1, 1, 2, 2], [1, 1, 2, 2]],
+                pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+                    [(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4)], names=["B", "C"]
+                ),
+                pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+                    [("d", "a"), ("d", "b"), ("e", "a"), ("e", "b")],
+                    names=[None, ("A", "a")],
+                ),
+            ),
+            (
+                (("A", "a"), "B"),
+                [[1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2], [1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2]],
+                pd.Index([3, 4], name="C"),
+                pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+                    [
+                        ("d", "a", 1),
+                        ("d", "a", 2),
+                        ("d", "b", 1),
+                        ("d", "b", 2),
+                        ("e", "a", 1),
+                        ("e", "a", 2),
+                        ("e", "b", 1),
+                        ("e", "b", 2),
+                    ],
+                    names=[None, ("A", "a"), "B"],
+                ),
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_unstack_mixed_type_name_in_multiindex(
+        self, unstack_idx, expected_values, expected_index, expected_columns
+    ):
+        # GH 19966
+        idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_product(
+            [["a", "b"], [1, 2], [3, 4]], names=[("A", "a"), "B", "C"]
+        )
+        df = pd.DataFrame({"d": [1] * 8, "e": [2] * 8}, index=idx)
+        result = df.unstack(unstack_idx)
+
+        expected = pd.DataFrame(
+            expected_values, columns=expected_columns, index=expected_index,
+        )
+        tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
+
     def test_unstack_preserve_dtypes(self):
         # Checks fix for #11847
         df = pd.DataFrame(
diff --git a/pandas/tests/series/test_analytics.py b/pandas/tests/series/test_analytics.py
index c29bd3ea0cb7d..e6e91b5d4f5f4 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/series/test_analytics.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/series/test_analytics.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import pandas.util._test_decorators as td
 
 import pandas as pd
-from pandas import DataFrame, MultiIndex, Series
+from pandas import DataFrame, Series
 import pandas._testing as tm
 
 
@@ -160,65 +160,6 @@ def test_is_monotonic(self):
         assert s.is_monotonic is False
         assert s.is_monotonic_decreasing is True
 
-    def test_unstack(self):
-
-        index = MultiIndex(
-            levels=[["bar", "foo"], ["one", "three", "two"]],
-            codes=[[1, 1, 0, 0], [0, 1, 0, 2]],
-        )
-
-        s = Series(np.arange(4.0), index=index)
-        unstacked = s.unstack()
-
-        expected = DataFrame(
-            [[2.0, np.nan, 3.0], [0.0, 1.0, np.nan]],
-            index=["bar", "foo"],
-            columns=["one", "three", "two"],
-        )
-
-        tm.assert_frame_equal(unstacked, expected)
-
-        unstacked = s.unstack(level=0)
-        tm.assert_frame_equal(unstacked, expected.T)
-
-        index = MultiIndex(
-            levels=[["bar"], ["one", "two", "three"], [0, 1]],
-            codes=[[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1]],
-        )
-        s = Series(np.random.randn(6), index=index)
-        exp_index = MultiIndex(
-            levels=[["one", "two", "three"], [0, 1]],
-            codes=[[0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1]],
-        )
-        expected = DataFrame({"bar": s.values}, index=exp_index).sort_index(level=0)
-        unstacked = s.unstack(0).sort_index()
-        tm.assert_frame_equal(unstacked, expected)
-
-        # GH5873
-        idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([[101, 102], [3.5, np.nan]])
-        ts = pd.Series([1, 2], index=idx)
-        left = ts.unstack()
-        right = DataFrame(
-            [[np.nan, 1], [2, np.nan]], index=[101, 102], columns=[np.nan, 3.5]
-        )
-        tm.assert_frame_equal(left, right)
-
-        idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays(
-            [
-                ["cat", "cat", "cat", "dog", "dog"],
-                ["a", "a", "b", "a", "b"],
-                [1, 2, 1, 1, np.nan],
-            ]
-        )
-        ts = pd.Series([1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4], index=idx)
-        right = DataFrame(
-            [[1.0, 1.3], [1.1, np.nan], [np.nan, 1.4], [1.2, np.nan]],
-            columns=["cat", "dog"],
-        )
-        tpls = [("a", 1), ("a", 2), ("b", np.nan), ("b", 1)]
-        right.index = pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(tpls)
-        tm.assert_frame_equal(ts.unstack(level=0), right)
-
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("func", [np.any, np.all])
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("kwargs", [dict(keepdims=True), dict(out=object())])
     @td.skip_if_np_lt("1.15")
diff --git a/pandas/tests/series/test_reshaping.py b/pandas/tests/series/test_reshaping.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..7645fb8759a54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pandas/tests/series/test_reshaping.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+import pandas as pd
+from pandas import DataFrame, MultiIndex, Series
+import pandas._testing as tm
+
+
+def test_unstack():
+    index = MultiIndex(
+        levels=[["bar", "foo"], ["one", "three", "two"]],
+        codes=[[1, 1, 0, 0], [0, 1, 0, 2]],
+    )
+
+    s = Series(np.arange(4.0), index=index)
+    unstacked = s.unstack()
+
+    expected = DataFrame(
+        [[2.0, np.nan, 3.0], [0.0, 1.0, np.nan]],
+        index=["bar", "foo"],
+        columns=["one", "three", "two"],
+    )
+
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(unstacked, expected)
+
+    unstacked = s.unstack(level=0)
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(unstacked, expected.T)
+
+    index = MultiIndex(
+        levels=[["bar"], ["one", "two", "three"], [0, 1]],
+        codes=[[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1]],
+    )
+    s = Series(np.random.randn(6), index=index)
+    exp_index = MultiIndex(
+        levels=[["one", "two", "three"], [0, 1]],
+        codes=[[0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1]],
+    )
+    expected = DataFrame({"bar": s.values}, index=exp_index).sort_index(level=0)
+    unstacked = s.unstack(0).sort_index()
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(unstacked, expected)
+
+    # GH5873
+    idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([[101, 102], [3.5, np.nan]])
+    ts = pd.Series([1, 2], index=idx)
+    left = ts.unstack()
+    right = DataFrame(
+        [[np.nan, 1], [2, np.nan]], index=[101, 102], columns=[np.nan, 3.5]
+    )
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(left, right)
+
+    idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays(
+        [
+            ["cat", "cat", "cat", "dog", "dog"],
+            ["a", "a", "b", "a", "b"],
+            [1, 2, 1, 1, np.nan],
+        ]
+    )
+    ts = pd.Series([1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4], index=idx)
+    right = DataFrame(
+        [[1.0, 1.3], [1.1, np.nan], [np.nan, 1.4], [1.2, np.nan]],
+        columns=["cat", "dog"],
+    )
+    tpls = [("a", 1), ("a", 2), ("b", np.nan), ("b", 1)]
+    right.index = pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(tpls)
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(ts.unstack(level=0), right)
+
+
+def test_unstack_tuplename_in_multiindex():
+    # GH 19966
+    idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_product(
+        [["a", "b", "c"], [1, 2, 3]], names=[("A", "a"), ("B", "b")]
+    )
+    ser = pd.Series(1, index=idx)
+    result = ser.unstack(("A", "a"))
+
+    expected = pd.DataFrame(
+        [[1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 1]],
+        columns=pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+            [("a",), ("b",), ("c",)], names=[("A", "a")],
+        ),
+        index=pd.Index([1, 2, 3], name=("B", "b")),
+    )
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "unstack_idx, expected_values, expected_index, expected_columns",
+    [
+        (
+            ("A", "a"),
+            [[1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1]],
+            pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+                [(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4)], names=["B", "C"]
+            ),
+            pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples([("a",), ("b",)], names=[("A", "a")]),
+        ),
+        (
+            (("A", "a"), "B"),
+            [[1, 1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 1, 1]],
+            pd.Index([3, 4], name="C"),
+            pd.MultiIndex.from_tuples(
+                [("a", 1), ("a", 2), ("b", 1), ("b", 2)], names=[("A", "a"), "B"]
+            ),
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_unstack_mixed_type_name_in_multiindex(
+    unstack_idx, expected_values, expected_index, expected_columns
+):
+    # GH 19966
+    idx = pd.MultiIndex.from_product(
+        [["a", "b"], [1, 2], [3, 4]], names=[("A", "a"), "B", "C"]
+    )
+    ser = pd.Series(1, index=idx)
+    result = ser.unstack(unstack_idx)
+
+    expected = pd.DataFrame(
+        expected_values, columns=expected_columns, index=expected_index,
+    )
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)