Find out how popular the last name Tarry is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Tarry.

Tarry, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Tarry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tarry in America

Tarry is the 23957th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tarry surname appeared 1,053 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tarry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tarry to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Tarry

The surname Tarry is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "tarian," which means "to delay" or "to linger." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as habitually tardy or lingering.

One of the earliest documented references to the Tarry surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in medieval England. The name appears as "Tari" and "Tarrye" in these rolls, indicating the variations in spelling that were common during that time.

In the 14th century, the surname Tarry was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain "John Tary" was recorded as a tenant in 1348. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the northern regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The Tarry surname may also have been influenced by the Old French word "tarrier," which means "to tarry" or "to delay." This linguistic connection could suggest that the name may have been introduced to England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, although its origins remain rooted in the Old English language.

One notable historical figure bearing the Tarry surname was John Tarry, a British soldier and explorer who lived in the late 18th century (c. 1755-1801). He served in the British Army and participated in various expeditions to the Pacific Northwest of North America, including the Vancouver Expedition of 1791-1795.

Another individual of note was Sir William Tarry (c. 1480-1555), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1555. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London.

In the literary realm, the surname Tarry is associated with the English poet and playwright Thomas Tarry (c. 1581-1638), who was active during the Jacobean era. His works included plays such as "The Cryer of Ludgate" and "The Mock Tempest," though few details are known about his personal life.

The Tarry surname has also been found in various place names throughout England, such as Tarry Hill in Berkshire and Tarry Pit in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derive from the Old English word "tarian" and may have influenced the evolution of the surname over time.

It is worth noting that the Tarry surname has been recorded with various spellings throughout history, including Tarrie, Tarry, Tary, and Tarye. These variations reflect the fluidity of surname spellings prior to their standardization in more recent centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tarry

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Tarry.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Tarry was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Tarry has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

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