NameCensus.

UK surname

Terris

A surname derived from a geographic location, possibly related to terra meaning "land" or "earth".

In the 1881 census there were 141 people recorded with the Terris surname, ranking it #16,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 290, ranked #15,099, up from #16,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Borrowstounness and Carriden, Beath and Walton-le-Soken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumry West, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans and Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Terris is 323 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.7%.

1881 census count

141

Ranked #16,091

Modern count

290

2016, ranked #15,099

Peak year

1998

323 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Terris had 141 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016, ranked #15,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 318 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Terris surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Terris surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Terris 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 233 #10,501
1881 historical 141 #16,091
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 289 #11,944
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 320 #12,966
1998 modern 323 #13,211
1999 modern 323 #13,315
2000 modern 319 #13,391
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 297 #13,917
2004 modern 291 #14,138
2005 modern 282 #14,368
2006 modern 284 #14,396
2007 modern 281 #14,660
2008 modern 297 #14,230
2009 modern 300 #14,420
2010 modern 294 #14,940
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 287 #14,978
2013 modern 298 #14,815
2014 modern 293 #15,095
2015 modern 292 #15,046
2016 modern 290 #15,099

Geography

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Where Terris' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Borrowstounness and Carriden, Beath, Walton-le-Soken, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Drumry West, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans, Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn, Colinton Mains and Firrhill and North Tyneside. 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 Borrowstounness and Carriden Linlithgow
2 Beath Fife
3 Walton-le-Soken Essex
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumry West Glasgow City
2 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross
3 Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn Fife
4 Colinton Mains and Firrhill City of Edinburgh
5 North Tyneside 009 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Terris

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Terris

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Terris, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Terris surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Terris household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Terris 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

Terris is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Terris falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Terris is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Terris

The surname TERRIS originated in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "terre," meaning "land" or "territory." This suggests that the name was likely initially given to someone who owned or worked on a particular piece of land or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry mentions a "William Terris" from Roxburghshire, indicating the name's presence in the Scottish Borders region during that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Terres" and "Terress," reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions in those days. A notable mention is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1359, which refer to a "John Terris" who was involved in a land transaction.

The TERRIS surname can also be traced to the village of Terregles, located in Kirkcudbrightshire (now part of Dumfries and Galloway). This place name is derived from the Gaelic words "tir" (land) and "eaglais" (church), suggesting a connection between the surname and a specific locality.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the TERRIS surname was Sir Andrew Terris (c. 1390 - c. 1456), a Scottish knight who fought alongside King James I at the Battle of Inverlochy in 1431. He was later granted lands in Fife for his service.

Another notable figure was William Terris (1571 - 1635), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1617 until his death. He was known for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the name TERRIS appeared in various records across Scotland, including the Presbytery Records of Lanark in 1642, which mentioned a "John Terris" as a landowner.

Moving into the 18th century, a prominent figure was Sir James Terris (1710 - 1782), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1760 to 1762. He played a significant role in the city's development during that period.

Another noteworthy individual was Robert Terris (1786 - 1858), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Calton Hill Observatory and the former Royal High School.

Throughout its history, the TERRIS surname has been associated with various occupations, from landowners and knights to ministers, merchants, and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Terris families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Terris 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 43 Terris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.20x.

County Total Index
Fife 43 53.20x
Essex 26 9.65x
Yorkshire 9 0.67x
Lanarkshire 8 1.81x
Midlothian 8 4.37x
Warwickshire 8 2.32x
Kinross-shire 7 202.90x
Gloucestershire 6 2.24x
Stirlingshire 5 9.93x
Middlesex 4 0.29x
Suffolk 3 1.80x
Kent 2 0.43x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Renfrewshire 2 1.89x
West Lothian 2 9.73x
Cheshire 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.36x
Northumberland 1 0.49x
Surrey 1 0.15x
Sussex 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 24 Terris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 193.08x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 24 193.08x
West Ham 16 26.89x
Beath 13 509.80x
Walton Le Soken 10 1562.50x
Birmingham 8 6.97x
Cleish 6 2608.70x
Horfield 6 222.22x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 39.65x
Bothkennar 5 333.33x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 6.79x
Maryhill 5 57.87x
Kemback 4 1000.00x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 64.38x
Glasgow 2 2.55x
Liverpool 2 2.03x
Livingstone 2 285.71x
Middlesbrough 2 11.35x
Renfrew 2 57.31x
Auchtertool 1 303.03x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.69x
Camberwell 1 1.15x
Carnock 1 204.08x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 3.63x
Kensington London 1 1.32x
Lanark 1 28.17x
Littlehampton 1 54.35x
Longbenton 1 11.63x
Margate St John Baptist 1 11.72x
Orwell 1 105.26x
Penicuik 1 40.16x
Portsea 1 1.82x
Ratcliffe London 1 13.26x
Ripon 1 31.85x
South Leith 1 4.86x
St George Hanover 1 5.61x
Stockport 1 6.45x
Tonbridge 1 5.95x
West Calder 1 27.70x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
George 4
James 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Isaac 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Ernest 1
Jas. 1
Mark 1
Thomas 1
Tom 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 Terris households.

FAQ

Terris surname: questions and answers

How common was the Terris surname in 1881?

In 1881, 141 people were recorded with the Terris surname. That placed it at #16,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Terris surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016. That gives Terris a modern rank of #15,099.

What does the Terris surname mean?

A surname derived from a geographic location, possibly related to terra meaning "land" or "earth".

What does the Terris map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Terris 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.