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

Terra, 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 Terra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Terra in America

Terra is the 22791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Terra surname appeared 1,124 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 Terra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Terra 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 Terra

The surname Terra originated from various regions of Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "terra," meaning "earth" or "land." This surname likely originated as a descriptor for individuals who lived near or worked on the land, possibly as farmers or landowners.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Terra surname can be found in the 14th century Venetian records. In 1376, a certain Giovanni Terra was mentioned in a document from the city of Venice. Additionally, the surname appears in several other Italian manuscripts and records from the 14th and 15th centuries, indicating its widespread use across various regions of the country.

The Terra surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such figure was Antonio Terra (1455-1522), an Italian painter and architect from the Renaissance era. He is renowned for his works in the city of Mantua, including the Chiesa di Sant'Andrea and the Palazzo Ducale.

Another prominent individual with the Terra surname was Girolamo Terra (1592-1676), an Italian mathematician and philosopher. He was a professor at the University of Padua and made significant contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the study of algebraic equations.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Terra (1715-1779) was a renowned Italian composer and violinist. He served as the music director at the court of the Duke of Modena and composed numerous operas and instrumental works that were highly regarded during his time.

Moving into the 19th century, Pietro Terra (1810-1891) was an Italian politician and statesman. He served as a member of the Italian parliament and played a crucial role in the unification of Italy, working closely with figures like Giuseppe Garibaldi and Giuseppe Mazzini.

While the surname Terra has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich heritage and significance of this surname within the Italian context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Terra

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

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

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

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