UK surname
A German and Jewish surname derived from the German word for "comfort" or "consolation."
In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Trost surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17, ranked #36,904, down from #34,027 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trost is 185 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1600.0%.
1881 census count
1
Ranked #34,027
Modern count
17
2016, ranked #36,904
Peak year
1891
185 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Trost surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Trost surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 96 | #17,594 |
| 1861 | historical | 153 | #15,032 |
| 1881 | historical | 1 | #34,027 |
| 1891 | historical | 185 | #15,803 |
| 1901 | historical | 53 | #28,271 |
| 1911 | historical | 61 | #26,724 |
| 1997 | modern | 11 | #36,912 |
| 1998 | modern | 12 | #36,790 |
| 1999 | modern | 12 | #36,806 |
| 2000 | modern | 12 | #36,749 |
| 2001 | modern | 11 | #36,727 |
| 2002 | modern | 10 | #36,902 |
| 2003 | modern | 9 | #37,101 |
| 2004 | modern | 10 | #37,096 |
| 2005 | modern | 9 | #37,302 |
| 2006 | modern | 10 | #37,224 |
| 2007 | modern | 11 | #37,217 |
| 2008 | modern | 11 | #37,270 |
| 2009 | modern | 15 | #36,942 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 16 | #36,932 |
| 2012 | modern | 18 | #36,723 |
| 2013 | modern | 20 | #36,614 |
| 2014 | modern | 18 | #36,811 |
| 2015 | modern | 17 | #36,887 |
| 2016 | modern | 17 | #36,904 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, London parishes, St Pancras, Eccles and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prestbury | Cheshire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Eccles | Lancashire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Trost surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trost, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Trost surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Trost household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Trost is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trost is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Trost, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Trost is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "trost," which means "comfort" or "consolation." It first emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th to 15th centuries, in various regions of what is now modern-day Germany.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Nuremberg Chronicles, a famous illustrated world history published in 1493. The chronicles mention a Johann Trost, a notable figure from the city of Nuremberg during that era.
The name Trost is believed to have originally been an occupational surname, given to individuals who provided comfort or solace to others, perhaps as clergymen, counselors, or healers. It may have also been used as a descriptive surname for individuals known for their comforting or reassuring demeanor.
In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Johannes Trost, a German composer and organist who lived from around 1516 to 1554. He is considered one of the earliest significant composers of the Protestant Reformation era.
Another historical figure with the surname Trost was Kaspar Trost, a German architect and sculptor who lived from 1567 to 1637. He was known for his work on various churches and buildings in the German city of Dresden.
In the 18th century, Johann Trost (1718-1768) was a renowned German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.
The name Trost has also been associated with various place names throughout Germany, such as Trostberg, a town in Bavaria, and Trostin, a village in Saxony-Anhalt. These place names may have influenced the spread and regional variations of the surname over time.
Other notable bearers of the Trost surname include the German-American painter and illustrator Walter Trost (1889-1971), known for his depictions of wildlife and nature scenes, and the German-born American chemist and inventor Charles Trost (1858-1935), who held numerous patents related to chemical processes and explosives.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trost surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Buckinghamshire leads with 1 Trosts recorded in 1881 and an index of 172.41x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 172.41x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornborough in Buckinghamshire leads with 1 Trosts recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Thornborough | 1 | 0.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Trost surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Sarah | 1 |
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 Trost households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Housekeeper | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Trost surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 17 in 2016. That gives Trost a modern rank of #36,904.
A German and Jewish surname derived from the German word for "comfort" or "consolation."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Trost bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.