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

Trent, 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 Trent surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Trent in America

Trent is the 1824th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Trent surname appeared 19,630 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Trent.

We can also compare 2010 data for Trent 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 Trent

The surname Trent has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "treant," which means "a winding stream or river." This name likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near a meandering river or stream.

The name is believed to have first emerged in the county of Staffordshire, where the River Trent flows through. It is thought that some of the earliest bearers of this surname may have resided along the banks of this river. Over time, the name spread to other parts of England, particularly in areas near rivers or streams.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Trent can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Trente" and "Trent," indicating its early presence in medieval England.

In the 13th century, a notable individual named William Trent was recorded as a landowner in Nottinghamshire. Another early bearer of the name was John Trent, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and their holdings.

During the 16th century, the surname Trent gained prominence with the rise of Sir Thomas Trent (1492-1558), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1551.

Another notable figure was William Trent (1653-1718), a British colonial administrator and merchant who played a significant role in the early settlement of New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the Americas. He founded the city of Trenton, New Jersey, which was named after him.

In the literary world, William Peterfield Trent (1862-1918) was an American scholar and literary critic. He served as the president of the American Literature Society and wrote extensively on American literature and culture.

Throughout history, the surname Trent has been associated with various place names, such as Trent Vale in Staffordshire, Trentham in Stoke-on-Trent, and Trentishoe in Devon. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its topographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Trent

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

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

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

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