NameCensus.

UK surname

Trew

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Tree town".

In the 1881 census there were 674 people recorded with the Trew surname, ranking it #5,347 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,114, ranked #5,279, up from #5,347 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Marnhull. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, Horsham and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trew is 1,257 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.3%.

1881 census count

674

Ranked #5,347

Modern count

1,114

2016, ranked #5,279

Peak year

1999

1,257 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trew had 674 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,347 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,114 in 2016, ranked #5,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,030 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Trew surname distribution map

The map shows where the Trew surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Trew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Trew over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 444 #5,543
1861 historical 357 #7,155
1881 historical 674 #5,347
1891 historical 799 #5,033
1901 historical 960 #4,893
1911 historical 1,030 #4,449
1997 modern 1,203 #4,698
1998 modern 1,236 #4,760
1999 modern 1,257 #4,736
2000 modern 1,240 #4,770
2001 modern 1,188 #4,832
2002 modern 1,209 #4,872
2003 modern 1,158 #4,956
2004 modern 1,169 #4,921
2005 modern 1,160 #4,899
2006 modern 1,128 #5,028
2007 modern 1,132 #5,059
2008 modern 1,146 #5,036
2009 modern 1,173 #5,038
2010 modern 1,196 #5,057
2011 modern 1,180 #5,059
2012 modern 1,140 #5,126
2013 modern 1,171 #5,099
2014 modern 1,156 #5,177
2015 modern 1,128 #5,239
2016 modern 1,114 #5,279

Geography

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Where Trews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Marnhull, St Mary Islington and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, Horsham, Central Bedfordshire, Birmingham and Rhondda Cynon Taf. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Marnhull Dorset
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
2 Horsham 016 Horsham
3 Central Bedfordshire 025 Central Bedfordshire
4 Birmingham 116 Birmingham
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 023 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Trew

These lists show first names that appear often with the Trew surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Trew

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trew, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Trew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Trew household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Trew is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Trew is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Trew falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trew is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Trew, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Trew

The surname TREW has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "treowe," which means "true" or "loyal." This surname was likely given to individuals who were perceived as trustworthy and steadfast in character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the TREW surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where a certain Robert Trew was mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, with a reference to a Walter le Trew.

During the medieval period, many individuals were identified by their occupations or personal characteristics. The surname TREW may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered truthful or reliable. It could also have been given to a person who lived near a tree or woodland area, as "treowe" was also an Old English word for "tree."

The TREW surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire in the southwestern regions of England. Some variations in spelling included Trewe, Trowe, and Trow, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

One notable bearer of the TREW surname was Sir Robert Trew, a 15th-century English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1449. Another individual of historical significance was John Trew, a 17th-century English clergyman and author, born in Somerset in 1624.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was Christopher Trew, a German botanist and physician born in 1695. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and was a member of the prestigious Royal Society of London.

In the 19th century, Samuel Trew, an English architect born in 1824, gained recognition for his work on several churches and public buildings in Somerset and neighboring counties.

The TREW surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Trew Green in Gloucestershire and Trew Farm in Somerset, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Trew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trew surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 170 Trews recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.58x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 170 2.58x
Surrey 71 2.21x
Essex 61 4.69x
Dorset 53 12.26x
Suffolk 41 5.11x
Glamorgan 35 3.05x
Monmouthshire 35 7.35x
Kent 24 1.07x
Brecknockshire 21 15.95x
Gloucestershire 20 1.55x
Warwickshire 18 1.08x
Norfolk 17 1.68x
Hampshire 15 1.11x
Lancashire 11 0.14x
Lincolnshire 11 1.04x
Sussex 10 0.90x
Worcestershire 9 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 8 2.01x
Lanarkshire 8 0.38x
Wigtownshire 7 8.01x
Somerset 6 0.57x
Yorkshire 6 0.09x
Northumberland 3 0.31x
Derbyshire 2 0.19x
Devon 2 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.96x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.69x
Herefordshire 1 0.37x
Hertfordshire 1 0.22x
Kincardineshire 1 1.25x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x
Radnorshire 1 1.88x
Royal Navy 1 1.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 36 Trews recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.55x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 36 12.55x
Shoreditch London 33 11.56x
Islington London 25 3.92x
Marnhull 25 793.65x
Camberwell 23 5.47x
St Woollos 23 43.30x
Bethnal Green London 22 7.69x
Swansea Town 18 19.15x
Birmingham 16 2.89x
Lambeth 13 2.26x
Acton 11 28.50x
Brecknock St John 11 99.10x
Poole St James 10 61.58x
Rotherhithe 10 12.29x
Wandsworth 10 15.78x
Witham 10 149.48x
Ipswich St Peter 9 83.33x
Kidderminster Borough 9 17.88x
Lakenham 9 62.59x
Llandough Near 9 3461.54x
Govan 8 1.52x
Hendon 8 33.77x
Croydon 7 3.93x
Hastings St Leonards 7 42.89x
Mile End Old Town 7 6.73x
Snetterton 7 1521.74x
Toxteth Park 7 2.65x
Walthamstow 7 14.96x
Bristol St Paul In 6 17.44x
Clerkenwell London 6 3.86x
Enfield 6 13.89x
St John Near Swansea 6 42.31x
Tottenham 6 5.72x
Whithorn 6 90.09x
Charlton 5 33.51x
Christchurch 5 33.97x
Clee With Weelsby 5 21.69x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.89x
Fordington 5 53.71x
Hackney London 5 1.35x
Leyton 5 22.33x
Plumstead 5 6.68x
Portsea 5 1.89x
St Marylebone London 5 1.42x
Upton Cum Chalvey 5 31.53x
Whaddon 5 2000.00x
Gorleston 4 19.63x
Hampstead London 4 3.90x
Merthyr Cynog 4 240.96x
Orpington 4 58.14x
Soothill 4 16.97x
St Martin In Fields 4 10.15x
Sudbury St Peter 4 90.91x
Talgarth 4 122.70x
Twickenham 4 14.17x
Abergavenny 3 16.83x
Alnwick 3 17.81x
Claxby In Caistor 3 410.96x
Clifton 3 4.59x
Epsom 3 19.18x
Gillingham 3 40.38x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 11.03x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 13.35x
Limehouse London 3 4.15x
Shelley 3 666.67x
South Perrott 3 441.18x
Stoke Newington London 3 5.85x
Whippingham 3 29.35x
Winslow 3 80.00x
Banwell 2 51.68x
Bedwellty 2 2.38x
Brampton 2 13.88x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 9.34x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 13.29x
Fairford 2 57.97x
Fifehead Magdalen 2 625.00x
Great Grimsby 2 2.99x
Lewisham 2 1.67x
Northwood 2 10.41x
Sherborne 2 15.71x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Trew surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Trew surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 38
Thomas 25
Charles 24
George 22
John 20
James 16
Edward 14
Alfred 13
Henry 13
Arthur 8
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Richard 5
Robert 5
Archibald 4
Edgar 4
Herbert 4
Stephen 4
Albert 3
Anthony 3
Fredk. 3
Horace 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Uriah 3
Wm. 3
Augustus 2
Harry 2
Samuel 2
Sydney 2
Arch. 1
Benjn. 1
Bradford 1
C. 1
Ebenezer 1
Elias 1
Enos 1
Fdk. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Isac 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Josiah 1
Lance 1

FAQ

Trew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 674 people were recorded with the Trew surname. That placed it at #5,347 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,114 in 2016. That gives Trew a modern rank of #5,279.

What does the Trew surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Tree town".

What does the Trew map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Trew bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.