Surname Terry - Meaning and Origin

An Intriguing Journey into the Past: Unearthing the Origins and History of the Surname 'Terry' with iGENEA DNA Analysis

Embark with me on a journey where I used the iGENEA DNA analysis test to delve deep into the recesses of my family history, specifically focusing on the origin and expanse of the surname 'Terry'. Dive into the rich narrative of my lineage, unveiling layers of history that lay submerged in oblivion up until this point.

A. Terry

Terry: What does the surname Terry mean?

The surname Terry has multiple possible origins. It can be derived from the medieval personal name, brought into England by the Normans, which itself originated from the Old French Thierri or Thierry, meaning "ruler of the people". This name is formed from elements of Germanic origin, "theudo" (people) and "ric" (power).

Another derivation comes from Old French "terrier", a term for a book of land tenure. It was a nickname for a clerk who maintained such records, eventually adopted as a surname.

Thirdly, it may be topographical, for someone who lived by a hillock or mound, derived from the French "terre" meaning "land" or "ground".

Over time, with movement of populations and modifications for regional pronunciation, the surname has many variant spellings including Terry, Terrie, Thierry and others.

Terry: Where does the name Terry come from?

The last name Terry is most common in the United States today. According to the US Census Bureau, Terry was the fourteenth most common surname in 2019, with over 1 million Americans having it as their last name. It is especially common in the southern states, with the highest concentrations being in Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas.

The roots of the surname Terry are mostly British. In England, Terry dates back to the 13th century and is of Norman origin, derived from the Old French name Thierry or the Anglo-Norman personal name Téodoric. In Scotland, the name was derived from the Scottish Gaelic word Tirril, meaning “selective.”

More recently, the name Terry has been found in many immigrant communities. After the Irish Potato Famine of the 19th century, many Irish people emigrated to the United States and other places around the world and adopted “Terry” as one of the many surnames they brought with them. The name also crops up in other immigrant populations, primarily from the British Isles.

Today, the Terry surname is a well-traveled one, found in numerous countries around the world. Even though the English-speaking community is where it’s most popular, Terry can be found all over the world.

Variations of the surname Terry

The surname Terry is an anglicised form of the old French name Thierry, which is a diminutive of Theodoric (meaning leader of the people). It is most commonly found as Terry, although alternative spellings include Terri, Terrie, Terrey, Tirrie, Tarrie, Terri, Tory, Teary, Terrea, Tery, and Terrilee, to name a few.

Terry is a predominantly English and Scottish surname, although it can also be found in Irish, French and German families. The Irish and Scottish forms of Terry are spelled O'Tierney and MacTeary, respectively, and both have the same origins of Thierry.

Terry can also be spelled as a variant of an ancient Scottish surname of Torry, which originated from the Torry peninsula in Aberdeenshire.

In Ireland, a variant of the Gaelic Tierney was used, which can be seen through the Irish surname Ó Tighearnaigh (meaning “descendant of Tighearnach”). In England, there are also Anglo-Saxon variants without the “O” that come from Tyer, which is derived from Thierry.

In French, Terry is often spelled as Thierry, while in German, it is also spelled as Derich, Dietrich, Dirich, Dierich and Diedrich.

Overall, Terry is a name with many possible variants. It can be seen as both English and French, Scottish and Irish, and ultimately holds the same meaning of leader of the people in nearly all of its different spellings.

Famous people with the name Terry

• Terry Bradshaw: Former NFL quarterback and sportscaster.
• Bill Terry: American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager.
• Stephen Terry: British Michelin starred chef.
• John Terry: English professional footballer.
• Jeannie Terry: American actress and television host.
• Dan Terry: Jazz trumpeter, arranger, composer and bandleader.
• Yolanda Terry: International Human Rights lawyer.
• Jón Páll Sigmarsson: Icelandic strongman, powerlifter, and actor.
• Rachel Terry: Vlogger and glamor model.
• Jessie Wilcox Smith: American illustrator.
• Sophia Terry: French singer, actress and model.
• J.J. Cale: American singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• Katie Terry: American beauty pageant contestant.
• Mary Church Terrell: American civil rights leader, educator, and suffragist.
• Chris Terry: American retired professional NBA basketball player.
• John Lawrence Terry: American miner and minerologist.
• Diane Tse Terry: American lawyer, artist, and philanthropist.
• Bill Terry Jr.: American former Major League Baseball player.
• Terry Barajas: Mexican professional boxer.
• Ryan Terry: British competitive bodybuilder.

Other surnames

TerrellTerreyTerriTerriauTerriaultTerrieTerrienTerrienneTerrillTerrioTerriotTerrkeTerryberry