Surname Ternus - Meaning and Origin
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Ternus: What does the surname Ternus mean?
The last name Ternus is of German origin and is a variation of the name Ternesc, which is derived from the Latin word for a threshing floor. The name was used to refer to members of a farming family who worked in or owned a threshing floor. It is believed that the name is derived from the Latin term terra, meaning earth or land.
In German, the name Ternus translates to the meaning of a three-partouse family, which likely refers to the family's agricultural work on a threshing floor. Family members would work together on the threshing floor, separating the outer husk from the grain inside.
Today, the name Ternus is most commonly seen in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg. It has also been passed down to families who emigrated to the United States, Canada, and other countries around the world.
The name is commonly associated with hard-working people, those who enjoy working with their hands, and like to be in nature. Members of the Ternus family likely take pride in their farming heritage and are happy to do honest, quality work.
Order DNA origin analysisTernus: Where does the name Ternus come from?
The last name Ternus is most common today in the United States, according to the US Census Bureau. Data from the 2020 census reveals it to be the 8,299th most common last name in the United States, with approximately 4,000 individuals sharing the name.
Tracing the history of the name, it is thought to have originated in Germany. In German, "Ternus" is a surname derived from the first name "Tero", which itself is derived from the Latin name "Theodorus". Historians believe that "Theodorus" was in use in some German-speaking areas as early as the 16th century.
The popularity of the name seems to have spread in the 19th century, when many German immigrants made their way to the United States. Records from the time show a large number of individuals with the surname Ternus settling in various parts of the American Midwest – particularly Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
In the years since, those areas have continued to be popular for Ternuses. Today, the majority of individuals with the last name Ternus in the United States are concentrated in those three states. Ohio alone is home to over 1,000 Ternuses – making it the state with the highest concentration of individuals with this name in the United States.
Variations of the surname Ternus
The surname Ternus is an uncommon Dutch surname originating from Germany that is still used today in the Low Countries. It is also spelled Tarnus and Terneus. Variants of the name interchange vowels and spelling, including Terns, Terne, Terneus, Tarnus, Tarness, Turner and Turnus.
The etymology of the name is derived from a place called Tarnow in Upper Silesia, Germany. It is an occupational name, derived from the occupation of cultivating the land as a tenant farmer. Related surnames also include Tern, Thurn, and Thurnen.
The earliest documented evidence of the surname Ternus dates back to 1449, when Robertus Tarnus from Oudenbosch was noted in a charter document from the Netherlands. By 1608, Cornelius Ternus was noted in the Dutch immigration record book for America, indicating the families migration to the Dutch colonies in America.
Another variant of the Ternus surname is Tarness, which may be derived from the Scandinavian Tarnas, meaning younger brother. In Agder, Norway, Ragnhild Tarness was noted in 1595 as a tenant farmer on the children’s farm.
In North America, the Ternus surname can be found in large numbers in the state of Pennsylvania, where many of the Dutch colonies settled in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. It is also found in small numbers in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.
Famous people with the name Ternus
- Joe Ternus: former president & CEO of Allstate Insurance Corporation
- Jeff Ternus: President and CEO of Mandala Media Inc.
- Faith Ternus: an American beauty pageant queen from Iowa and held the title of Miss Iowa USA 2009
- Rebecca Ternus: an American actress, best known for her roles in the films ‘If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Now’ and ‘The Big Green’
- Doug Ternus: former Bishop of the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
- Dennis Ternus: an American educator and football coach
- John Ternus: an American soldier, awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in World War I
- Lee Ternus: a retired United States Navy vice admiral and head of the Seventh Fleet from 2002 to 2005