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

Ternes, 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 Ternes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ternes in America

Ternes is the 19210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ternes surname appeared 1,413 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 Ternes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ternes 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 Ternes

The surname Ternes is believed to have originated in France, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "terne," which means "dull" or "gloomy." This may have been a reference to the complexion or demeanor of the first person to bear the name or possibly to the location where they lived.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ternes can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a compendium of trades and professions compiled in Paris in the 13th century. Here, a certain Guillaume Ternes is listed as a member of the stonemasons' guild, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the city at that time.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various documents related to the region of Normandy, indicating that the family may have had connections to that area. In particular, a Pierre Ternes is mentioned in the records of the town of Rouen in 1367, where he is described as a merchant.

In the 15th century, the name Ternes is found in the archives of the city of Dijon, in eastern France. A notable figure from this period is Jean Ternes, who served as a magistrate in the city's court system from 1462 to 1478.

As the centuries passed, the name Ternes continued to spread throughout France and beyond. In the 17th century, a member of the family, François Ternes, was a soldier who fought in the Wars of Religion and later settled in the Lorraine region.

Another notable bearer of the name was the French artist and engraver, Henri Ternes, who was born in Paris in 1684 and became known for his intricate etchings of architectural subjects.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Ternes is associated with the village of Ternes, now part of the 17th arrondissement of Paris. It is believed that some members of the Ternes family may have originated from or lived in this area, contributing to the name's local significance.

In the 19th century, the Ternes name gained prominence in the world of literature with the French novelist and playwright, Jules Ternes, who was born in 1823 and wrote several popular works during his lifetime.

Finally, in the 20th century, one of the most well-known figures to bear the surname Ternes was the French composer and conductor, René Ternes, who was born in 1915 and is remembered for his contributions to the field of classical music.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ternes

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

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 Ternes 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 Ternes 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 Ternes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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