Terrance first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Terrance has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Terrance

Of Latin origin, a variant of the name Terence, meaning "smooth, polished".

Popularity of Terrance by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Terrance is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Terrance being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 154 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Terrance.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 154 0
2022 177 0
2021 202 0
2020 225 0
2019 230 0
2018 277 0
2017 306 0
2016 332 0
2015 377 0
2014 365 0
2013 408 0
2012 435 0
2011 428 0
2010 445 0
2009 562 0
2008 512 0
2007 569 0
2006 583 0
2005 562 0
2004 535 0
2003 552 0
2002 563 0
2001 580 0
2000 628 0
1999 688 0
1998 680 0
1997 713 7
1996 731 0
1995 840 8
1994 992 7
1993 1,058 0
1992 1,275 7
1991 1,346 0
1990 1,223 13
1989 1,361 16
1988 1,424 16
1987 1,133 11
1986 1,134 10
1985 1,188 16
1984 1,214 13
1983 1,194 20
1982 1,267 10
1981 1,276 12
1980 1,380 19
1979 1,346 17
1978 1,283 13
1977 1,237 15
1976 1,199 25
1975 1,179 25
1974 1,068 24

The history of the first name Terrance

The name Terrance originated from the Latin name Tertius, which was a Roman family name derived from the word "tertius," meaning "third." It was a common practice for Roman families to give their children names based on their birth order, and Tertius was given to the third-born child.

Tertius evolved into various forms in different regions and languages. In French, it became Terrence or Térrence, while in English, it took the form of Terrance or Terence. The name gained popularity during the medieval period and was commonly used among Christian families, particularly in England and Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Terrance can be found in the 12th century when a monk named Terence of Peterborough (c. 1120-1193) wrote a chronicle of English history. Another notable figure was Terence, a Roman playwright (c. 195-159 BC), whose comedies were widely studied and admired in ancient Rome and throughout the Middle Ages.

In the 17th century, Terence Trent (c. 1610-1680), an English politician and writer, was a prominent figure during the English Civil War. Later, in the 18th century, Terence O'Neill (c. 1730-1798), an Irish politician and revolutionary, played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Other notable individuals with the name Terrance include Terence Rattigan (1911-1977), an English playwright known for his works such as "The Winslow Boy" and "The Browning Version," and Terence Trent D'Arby (born 1962), an American singer-songwriter best known for his hit single "Sign Your Name."

Throughout history, the name Terrance has been associated with individuals from various backgrounds, including writers, politicians, artists, and performers. Its origins in Latin and its evolution through different languages and cultures have contributed to its enduring popularity and widespread use.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Terrance was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Terrance, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Terrance first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/terrance-meaning-and-history/.

"Terrance first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/terrance-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Terrance first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/terrance-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.