2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Terrillion
A rare surname possibly derived from a deformation of another surname or place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Terrillion. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Terrillion surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Terrillion in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Terrillion, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Terrillion
The surname Terrillion has its origins in the French language and can be traced back to the region of Normandy in northern France during the 11th century. The name derives from the Old French word "terrien," which translates to "landowner" or "one who works the land." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the Terrillion name were likely associated with agricultural occupations or landholdings.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Terrillion name appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus Terrilien, who held estates in the county of Somerset, England.
In the 13th century, a branch of the Terrillion family settled in the village of Terrillon, located in the Normandy region of France. It is believed that this place name may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time. Historical records from this period include references to individuals such as Guillaume de Terrillon (born c. 1220) and Jehan Terrillion (born c. 1275), both of whom held prominent positions within their local communities.
During the 16th century, the Terrillion name began to spread across Europe, with notable individuals emerging in various fields. One such figure was Pierre Terrillion (1542-1609), a French philosopher and theologian who authored several treatises on religious subjects. Additionally, records from the Spanish Inquisition mention a merchant named Javier Terrillion (c. 1580-1648), who was prosecuted for his suspected Protestant beliefs.
In the 17th century, the Terrillion name appeared in various parts of the British Isles, likely due to the influx of French Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecution. One prominent example is Sir Edward Terrillion (1625-1692), an English politician and landowner who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles II.
As the centuries progressed, the Terrillion name continued to be associated with individuals of notable achievement across various professions. These include the English novelist and playwright Elizabeth Terrillion (1768-1842), the French explorer and cartographer Jacques Terrillion (1802-1876), and the German composer and conductor Wilhelm Terrillion (1841-1912).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Terrillion
Among Census respondents with the surname Terrillion, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Terrillion bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Terrillion surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Terrillion
Terrillion appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+7 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,300 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+9 bearers (+8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,607 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.8%) | Down 2,300 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.2%) | Up 6,607 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Terrillion surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #142,788 | 4.4% |
| Count | 110 | 119 | 8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Terrillion bearers went from 110 to 119 (+8.2% change). The surname moved up 6,607 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #142,788.
FAQ
Terrillion surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Terrillion?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Terrillion. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Terrillion?
Terrillion ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Terrillion. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Terrillion.
Has Terrillion become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Terrillion went from 110 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 9 (+8.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Terrillion?
Among Census respondents with the surname Terrillion, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Terrillion in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Terrillion appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Terrillion (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Terrillion mean?
A rare surname possibly derived from a deformation of another surname or place name. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Terrillion (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Terrillion?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.