Cover page - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Feb. 23, 2021	Jun. 26, 2020
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2020
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-5353
Entity Registrant Name	TELEFLEX INCORPORATED
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	23-1147939
Entity Address, Address Line One	550 East Swedesford Road, Suite 400
Entity Address, City or Town	Wayne
Entity Address, State or Province	PA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	19087
City Area Code	610
Local Phone Number	225-6800
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share
Trading Symbol	TFX
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 10,305,936,126
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		46,689,810
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Certain provisions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days of the close of the registrant’s fiscal year, are incorporated by reference in Part III hereof.(1) For purposes of this computation only, the registrant has defined “affiliate” as including executive officers and directors of the registrant and owners of more than five percent of the common stock of the registrant, without conceding that all such persons are “affiliates” for purposes of the federal securities laws.
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Central Index Key	0000096943