NameCensus.

UK surname

Trimm

An English occupational surname for a carpenter or builder specializing in interior woodwork.

In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Trimm surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 187, ranked #20,488, up from #28,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, Sedgley and Lancaster Borough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Liverpool and Conwy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trimm is 190 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 367.5%.

1881 census count

40

Ranked #28,011

Modern count

187

2016, ranked #20,488

Peak year

2011

190 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trimm had 40 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016, ranked #20,488.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 112 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Trimm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Trimm surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Trimm 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 40 #28,011
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 98 #22,959
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 174 #19,729
1999 modern 165 #20,535
2000 modern 170 #20,120
2001 modern 167 #20,060
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 166 #20,320
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 178 #20,486
2010 modern 182 #20,662
2011 modern 190 #19,942
2012 modern 183 #20,356
2013 modern 185 #20,575
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 186 #20,576
2016 modern 187 #20,488

Geography

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Where Trimms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, Sedgley, Lancaster Borough, London parishes and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Liverpool, Conwy and Brighton and Hove. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
2 Liverpool 025 Liverpool
3 Conwy 010 Conwy
4 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
5 Brighton and Hove 012 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Trimm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Trimm

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trimm, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Trimm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Trimm household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Trimm is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Trimm 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

Trimm falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trimm is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Trimm

The surname Trimm has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "trymman," which means "to trim" or "to decorate." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in occupations related to trimming or decorating, such as tailoring, embroidery, or woodworking.

One of the earliest known records of the name Trimm can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Trymme." This document was a survey of landholders in England, indicating that the Trimm family had already established themselves as landowners by that time.

The surname Trimm also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it was recorded as "Trym." These rolls were tax records, providing further evidence of the Trimm family's presence in the English Midlands during the 14th century.

By the 16th century, the surname had evolved into its modern spelling of "Trimm." This can be seen in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, where a Thomas Trimm was recorded as being baptized in 1578.

One notable bearer of the Trimm surname was John Trimm (1601-1675), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer. He was born in Barkeston, Leicestershire, and made significant contributions to the fields of navigation and surveying.

Another historically significant figure with the Trimm surname was William Trimm (1727-1805), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781.

In the 19th century, the Trimm family had a presence in various parts of England, as evidenced by records such as the 1841 Census of England and Wales, which listed individuals with the surname in counties like Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.

A prominent member of the Trimm family during this period was Robert Trimm (1840-1912), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Birmingham. He made his fortune in the manufacturing industry and used his wealth to support various charitable causes.

Another noteworthy individual was Elizabeth Trimm (1862-1938), a pioneering English educator and suffragette. She campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and played a significant role in improving educational opportunities for girls in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Trimm surname also has a long history in Ireland, where it is believed to have originated as a variant of the Irish surname Trumm or Trumme. Records from the 17th and 18th centuries show individuals with the surname Trimm residing in counties like Galway and Limerick.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Trimm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trimm 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. Warwickshire leads with 11 Trimms recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.18x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 11 11.18x
Gloucestershire 6 7.84x
Wiltshire 5 14.50x
Somerset 4 6.37x
Dorset 2 7.81x
Hertfordshire 2 7.44x
Middlesex 2 0.51x
Derbyshire 1 1.64x
Hampshire 1 1.25x
Kent 1 0.75x
Norfolk 1 1.67x
Staffordshire 1 0.76x
Surrey 1 0.53x
Sussex 1 1.52x
Yorkshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 7 Trimms recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.35x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 7 21.35x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 69.44x
Aston 4 14.77x
Salisbury St Thomas 4 1481.48x
Chard 3 394.74x
Bishop Stortford 2 222.22x
Yetminster 2 2000.00x
Bedminster 1 16.95x
Chesterfield 1 43.67x
Falsgrave 1 175.44x
Hastings All Sts 1 161.29x
Heigham 1 31.06x
Isleworth 1 57.80x
Portsea 1 6.38x
Rochester St Margaret 1 71.43x
Shoreditch London 1 5.91x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 7.16x
Wandsworth 1 26.67x
Warminster 1 131.58x
Westbury On Trym 1 38.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 3
Ada 2
Elizabeth 2
Mary 2
Anne 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Jeanette 1
Matilda 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
Thomas 5
Frederick 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Henry 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Trimm households.

FAQ

Trimm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trimm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Trimm surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trimm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016. That gives Trimm a modern rank of #20,488.

What does the Trimm surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a carpenter or builder specializing in interior woodwork.

What does the Trimm map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Trimm 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.