Meaning and origin
The last name Terry traces its origin to medieval England. Derived from the Old French personal name Thierry, ultimately derived from the Germanic name Theodoric, meaning "ruler of the people." Over time, this name was anglicized to Terry, which today is a widely spread surname across English-speaking countries.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#361
Terry was the 361st most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 87,000 people, about 29 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Terry
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Terry is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.