Show ContentsTrott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor as in 'the son of Troit' or Trote or Troyt. The nursery rhyme "Dame Trot and her Cat" is English with various versions in print over the years. "The name is frequently found in the Exchequer Lay Subsidies, Somerset." 1

Other sources claims the name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Trot, meaning "beloved, dear, friend" 2 while another claims the name denotes "descendant of Trott (defiance)" 3

Early Origins of the Trott family

The surname Trott was first found in Surrey where Walter and Robert Trot were recorded in the Pipe Rolls for 1206 and later in the Curia Regis Rolls for Berkshire. William le Trot was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. 4

The Pipe Rolls, or Sheriff's Annual Accounts of the Counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and Durham during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I and John list Robert filius Trote, 1165 and Richard filius Truite, 1179. 1

In Somerset, early records there show Nicholas Truhyt, Thomas Troht, Robert Trote, Thomas Trut and Robert Tryut. All records were entered 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 5 Jefthe French Trote was bailiff of Yarmouth, Norfolk in 1340. 6

"The Trotts are now established in the neighbouring districts of Honiton and Cullompton [,Devon]. John Trott, one of the martyrs of Monmouth's rebellion in 1685, died on the scaffold at Bridgewater." 7

Early History of the Trott family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Trott research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1455, 1483, 1487, 1515, 1524 and 1619 are included under the topic Early Trott History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trott Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Trott, Trot, Troat, Troth, Troath, Trotman and others.

Early Notables of the Trott family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Thomas Trott (c. 1483-1524), of Bodmin, Cornwall, an English politician, Member of Parliament for Bodmin in 1515

Trott Ranking

In the United States, the name Trott is the 5,762nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 8


Trott migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Trott Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Trott, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1644 9
  • Andrew Trott, who landed in Maryland in 1652 9
  • Edward Trott, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 9
  • Phillip Trott, who landed in Virginia in 1666 9
  • Susan Trott, who landed in Virginia in 1666 9
Trott Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johann Conrad Trott, who settled in Philadelphia in 1785
Trott Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Amos Trott, who arrived in Portsmouth, NH in 1831 9
  • Richard Trott, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1882 9

Trott migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Trott Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Charles Trott, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bardaster" in 1839 10
  • Hannah Trott, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bardaster" in 1839 10
  • Miss Jane Trott who was convicted in Taunton, Somerset, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Aurora" on 22nd April 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
  • William Trott, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Hooghly" 12
  • Eliza Trott, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "John Banks" 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Trott migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Trott Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Trott, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
  • Elizabeth Trott, aged 31, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
  • Margaret Trott, aged 7, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
  • John Trott, aged 5, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
  • Ada Trott, aged 3 months, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Trott (post 1700) +

  • Stephen S. Trott (b. 1939), American jurist, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2004-)
  • David Alan Trott (b. 1960), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 11th district (2015-)
  • Benjamin Trott (b. 1977), American co-founder of Six Apart, with his former wife Men Trott
  • Laura Trott OBE (b. 1992), English fourteen-time gold medalist track and road cyclist
  • Emma Trott (b. 1989), English racing cyclist
  • Judi Trott (b. 1962), English actress
  • Laura Rebecca Trott (b. 1992), birth name of Laura Rebecca Kenny, CBE, British track and road cyclist, younger sister of Emma Trott
  • Albert Edwin Trott (1873-1914), Australian Test cricketer for both Australia and England, younger brother of Harry Trott
  • George Henry Stevens "Harry" Trott (1866-1917), Australian cricketer who played 24 Test matches
  • Ian Jonathan Leonard Trott (b. 1981), South African former England Test cricketer
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  7. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  10. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BARDASTER 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Bardcaster.htm
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
  12. South Australian Register Wednesday 21st February 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Rodney 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/rodney1855.shtml
  13. South Australian Register Wednesday 30th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Banks 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/johnbanks1855.shtml


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