Terry Family History

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Terry Name Meaning

English and Irish: from the common Norman personal name, T(h)erry (Old French Thierri), composed of the unattested Germanic element þeudo- ‘people’, ‘race’ + ric ‘power’. Theodoric was the name of the Ostrogothic leader (c. 454–526) who invaded Italy in 488 and established his capital at Ravenna in 493. His name was often taken as a derivative of Greek Theodoros (see Theodore). There was an Anglo-Norman family of this name in County Cork. Irish: Anglicized (‘translated’) form of Gaelic Mac Toirdhealbhaigh (see Turley). Southern French: occupational name for a potter, from Occitan terrin ‘earthenware vase’ (a diminutive of terre ‘earth’, Latin terra).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Merry, Berry, Ferry, Derry, Troy, Perry, Werry, Terra, Jerry, Torr

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Terry Ethnicity Estimate

What are the common regions with the Terry name?

These results combine data from everyone in the AncestryDNA® database with the last name Terry. The Ancestry® ethnicity regions shown are top five most common on average for these people.

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  • England & Wales

    52%

  • Ireland & Scotland

    18%

  • Germanic Europe

    5%

  • Cameroon, Congo, & Southern Bantu Peoples

    4%

  • Benin/Togo

    3%

Your own DNA-based ethnicity estimate will differ from what you see here. To get your personalized ethnicity estimate, order an AncestryDNA® kit.order an AncestryDNA® kit.

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Terry Family Origin

Where is the Terry family from?

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You can see how Terry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Terry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Terry families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 320 Terry families living in Ontario. This was about 69% of all the recorded Terry's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Terry families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Terry surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Terry

Terry Family Occupations

What did your Terry ancestors do for a living?

In 1881, the most common Terry occupation in Canada was Farmer. 33% of Terry's were Farmers. A less common occupation for the Terry family was Laborer. Farmer, Labourer and School were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Terry.

View Census data for Terry | Data not to scale

  • Farmer

    33%

  • Labourer

    8%

  • School

    5%

  • Laborer

    4%

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Terry ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

Terry Historical Records

What Terry family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 465,000 census records available for the last name Terry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Terry census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1881 Canadian census records for Terry

Passenger List

There are 33,000 immigration records available for the last name Terry. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Card

There are 91,000 military records available for the last name Terry. For the veterans among your Terry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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Terry Life Expectancy

What is the average Terry lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Terry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Terry in 1940 was 40, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Terry

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Terry ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Famous Terry Family Ancestors

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