Terdell
An uncommon masculine name, possibly derived from a surname of unknown origin.
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Terdell. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Terdell today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Terdell births was 1979 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Terdell. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Terdell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1979
13 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1979 SSA rank
#3,335
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Terdell: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Terdell by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Terdell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Terdell
The given name Terdell has its origins rooted in the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy during the pre-Roman era, approximately between the 9th and 3rd centuries BCE. The name is believed to be derived from the Etruscan word "Terd," meaning "earth" or "land," combined with the suffix "-ell," which signified a diminutive or affectionate form.
This linguistic connection suggests that the name Terdell may have initially been bestowed upon individuals with a deep connection to the land, perhaps farmers, horticulturists, or those who revered the Earth's bounty. Interestingly, some scholars have speculated that the name's roots could be traced back even further to the ancient Proto-Indo-European language group, potentially linking it to similar-sounding words in other linguistic branches.
While there are no definitive historical records mentioning individuals bearing the name Terdell during the Etruscan era, the earliest known reference can be found in a 6th-century manuscript from the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino in Italy. The manuscript mentions a monk named Terdell who was renowned for his expertise in cultivating medicinal herbs and his dedication to tending the monastery's gardens.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have carried the name Terdell. In the 12th century, Terdell of Regensburg (1105-1172) was a German monk and scholar renowned for his contributions to theology and his writings on monastic life. During the Renaissance period, Terdell Giordano (1488-1549), an Italian painter and architect, left his mark on the artistic landscape with his frescoes adorning churches in Florence and Rome.
In more recent history, Terdell Witherspoon (1823-1898) was an American abolitionist and educator who played a pivotal role in establishing schools for formerly enslaved individuals in the South after the Civil War. Another notable figure was Terdell Jamison (1902-1988), a pioneering African-American Jazz musician and composer whose soulful melodies captured the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance.
Lastly, Terdell Everhart (1919-2004) was a celebrated war correspondent who covered several major conflicts, including World War II and the Vietnam War, providing invaluable eyewitness accounts and shaping public perception through his vivid reporting.
People
Terdell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Terdell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Terdell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Terdell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Terdell going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Terdell a common name?
We classify Terdell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Terdell most popular?
The single biggest year for Terdell was 1979, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Terdell is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Terdell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Terdell a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Terdell in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Terdell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Terdell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Terdell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Terdell as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.