NameCensus.

UK surname

Terras

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a terrace or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Terras surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leuchars, Markinch and Cupar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Markinch and Star, Wyre and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Terras is 163 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.0%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

1901

163 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Terras had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Terras surname distribution map

The map shows where the Terras surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Terras surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Terras over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 109 #16,212
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 163 #17,205
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 132 #23,394
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 132 #23,459
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Terras' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leuchars, Markinch, Cupar, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Markinch and Star, Wyre, Stroud and Northumberland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Leuchars Fife
2 Markinch Fife
3 Cupar Fife
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Markinch and Star Fife
2 Wyre 003 Wyre
3 Stroud 011 Stroud
4 Wyre 005 Wyre
5 Northumberland 002 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Terras

These lists show first names that appear often with the Terras surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Terras

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Terras, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Terras surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Terras household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Terras is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Terras is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Terras falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Terras is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Terras, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Terras

The surname Terras is believed to have originated in the region of Catalonia, Spain, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Catalan word "terra," meaning "land" or "earth," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who owned or worked on a particular piece of land or territory.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 14th-century Catalan manuscript "Llibre de Repartiment de València," which documents the distribution of lands among the Aragonese nobility after the conquest of Valencia in 1238. This manuscript mentions several individuals with the surname Terras, indicating that the name was already established in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various historical records from the Kingdom of Aragon, such as tax rolls and land ownership documents. During this period, the name was often spelled as "Terres" or "Terrez," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Terras was Francesc Terras, a Catalan merchant and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Terras played a significant role in establishing trade relationships between Spain and the New World.

Another prominent individual with this name was Jaume Terras, a 16th-century Catalan architect renowned for his contributions to the Renaissance architectural style in Spain. He designed several notable buildings, including the Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona.

In the 17th century, the surname Terras spread beyond Catalonia and can be found in various parts of Spain, as well as in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Diego Terras, a Spanish military officer who served in the conquest of Mexico and later became a prominent landowner in New Spain.

During the 18th century, the name Terras appeared in various regions of Europe, possibly due to migration and trade. For example, there are records of individuals with this surname in France, Italy, and even parts of Germany, where it may have been influenced by similar-sounding local surnames.

One of the most famous bearers of the Terras surname was the 19th-century Spanish painter and engraver, Marià Terras. Born in Barcelona in 1818, he gained recognition for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting everyday life in Catalonia.

Throughout its history, the surname Terras has undergone various spelling variations, such as Terres, Terrez, Terraz, and Terrace, reflecting the linguistic and regional differences in its usage. However, the essence of the name, rooted in the concept of land or earth, has remained a consistent thread across its evolution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Terras families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Terras surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Fife leads with 74 Terras' recorded in 1881 and an index of 83.21x.

County Total Index
Fife 74 83.21x
Midlothian 15 7.45x
Lanarkshire 12 2.47x
Lancashire 11 0.62x
Kent 9 1.76x
Perthshire 8 11.87x
Aberdeenshire 7 5.03x
Orkney 3 18.15x
Surrey 3 0.41x
Sussex 3 1.18x
Angus 2 1.44x
Northumberland 2 0.89x
Roxburghshire 2 7.35x
Argyllshire 1 2.39x
Ayrshire 1 0.89x
East Lothian 1 5.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Markinch in Fife leads with 15 Terras' recorded in 1881 and an index of 496.69x.

Place Total Index
Markinch 15 496.69x
Leuchars 14 1250.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 38.84x
Cupar 11 284.24x
Glasgow 10 11.59x
Leslie 9 400.00x
Plumstead 9 52.69x
Blairgowrie 8 299.63x
North Leith 7 75.19x
St Andrews 7 172.84x
Turriff 7 311.11x
Cameron 5 961.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 6.18x
Ferry Port On Craig 5 342.47x
Cuckfield 3 117.19x
Lambeth 3 2.29x
South Leith 3 13.25x
Stromness 3 241.94x
Ceres 2 186.92x
Kemback 2 454.55x
St Boswells 2 408.16x
Warenton 2 2857.14x
Auckinleck 1 28.74x
Carnbee 1 185.19x
Carnock 1 185.19x
Govan 1 0.83x
Kettle 1 93.46x
Liff Benvie 1 4.73x
Lochgoilhead 1 357.14x
Maryhill 1 10.52x
Montrose 1 11.86x
Tranent 1 37.17x
Wemyss 1 26.60x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Terras surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Emily 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Lousia 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Terras surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
David 3
James 2
William 2
Fredk. 1
George 1
Herbert 1
John 1
Thomas 1
Willm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Terras households.

FAQ

Terras surname: questions and answers

How common was the Terras surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Terras surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Terras surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Terras a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Terras surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a terrace or ridge.

What does the Terras map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Terras bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.