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

Trotter, 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 Trotter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Trotter in America

Trotter is the 1801st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Trotter surname appeared 19,927 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 Trotter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Trotter 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 Trotter

The surname TROTTER originated in England and Scotland during the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old English word "trot" or "trotere," referring to a walker, messenger, or wanderer. The name was given as an occupational surname to those who traveled frequently or earned a living as messengers or couriers.

The earliest recorded instance of the TROTTER surname dates back to the 12th century in the county of Yorkshire, England. In the Domesday Book of 1086, a person named Walter le Trotere is mentioned, indicating the presence of the surname in its early form.

Throughout the Middle Ages, variations of the name emerged, such as Trottere, Trotter, and Troter. Many of these early bearers of the surname were likely employed as messengers or couriers for noblemen, monasteries, or other establishments that required frequent communication and delivery services.

Notable individuals with the TROTTER surname include John Trotter (c. 1580-1660), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War era. Another prominent figure was William Trotter (1772-1833), a Scottish naval surgeon and author who wrote extensively on maritime medicine and hygiene.

In Scotland, the TROTTER surname has a strong presence, particularly in the Borders region and Lothian. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was Robert Trotter (1608-1663), a Presbyterian minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

The TROTTER surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Trotter's Flat in New South Wales, Australia, and Trotter's Hill in Staffordshire, England. These place names may have derived from individuals or families bearing the TROTTER surname who settled or held lands in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the TROTTER surname include Catharine Trotter Cockburn (1679-1749), an English novelist and playwright, and John Bernard Trotter (1805-1899), a British army officer and author who served in the Crimean War and wrote several military histories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Trotter

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

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

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

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