NameCensus.

UK surname

Trowbridge

A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Trowbridge in England, meaning "bridge by a trough."

In the 1881 census there were 788 people recorded with the Trowbridge surname, ranking it #4,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,006, ranked #5,776, down from #4,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trowbridge is 1,194 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.7%.

1881 census count

788

Ranked #4,717

Modern count

1,006

2016, ranked #5,776

Peak year

1911

1,194 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trowbridge had 788 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,006 in 2016, ranked #5,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,194 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Trowbridge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Trowbridge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Trowbridge 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 522 #4,805
1861 historical 545 #4,820
1881 historical 788 #4,717
1891 historical 936 #4,422
1901 historical 1,095 #4,407
1911 historical 1,194 #3,931
1997 modern 1,019 #5,407
1998 modern 1,076 #5,353
1999 modern 1,099 #5,286
2000 modern 1,105 #5,249
2001 modern 1,087 #5,220
2002 modern 1,066 #5,406
2003 modern 1,038 #5,434
2004 modern 1,012 #5,544
2005 modern 1,030 #5,415
2006 modern 1,019 #5,471
2007 modern 1,007 #5,577
2008 modern 1,027 #5,527
2009 modern 1,045 #5,576
2010 modern 1,064 #5,590
2011 modern 1,053 #5,575
2012 modern 1,013 #5,682
2013 modern 1,024 #5,718
2014 modern 1,023 #5,750
2015 modern 1,016 #5,735
2016 modern 1,006 #5,776

Geography

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Where Trowbridges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset and Barking and Dagenham. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville Dorset
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
2 North Dorset 005 North Dorset
3 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
4 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
5 Barking and Dagenham 022 Barking and Dagenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Trowbridge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Trowbridge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trowbridge, 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 Trowbridge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Trowbridge 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Trowbridge is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Trowbridge is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Trowbridge falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trowbridge 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 Trowbridge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Trowbridge

The surname Trowbridge has its origins rooted in England, specifically in the county of Wiltshire, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the town of Trowbridge in Wiltshire, which was historically known as "Trowanbrycg" in Old English, translating to "bridge for trows" or "bridge frequented by trows (dwarfs)."

The earliest known reference to the name Trowbridge can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Trollebrigge." This ancient survey, commissioned by William the Conqueror, documented the manor of Trowbridge as belonging to the King's estates.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Trowbridge was Sir Thomas Trowbridge (c. 1460 - 1520), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Henry VIII. Another notable figure was Thomas Trowbridge (1598 - 1672), an English Puritan divine and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Taunton, Somerset.

In the 17th century, the spelling of the surname was further solidified as "Trowbridge," as evidenced by the life of John Trowbridge (1609 - 1672), a Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of the First Parish Church in Beverly, Massachusetts, after immigrating to the American colonies.

The 18th century saw the emergence of another influential Trowbridge, Caleb Trowbridge (1718 - 1793), a prominent American merchant and shipowner from Newton, Massachusetts, who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War as a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress.

In the literary realm, John Townsend Trowbridge (1827 - 1916) gained recognition as an American novelist, playwright, and author of popular children's books, including the classic "Cudjo's Cave" and "The Vagabonds."

Throughout history, the surname Trowbridge has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields, from law and religion to literature and commerce, reflecting its deep-rooted English heritage and the influence of those who carried the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Trowbridge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trowbridge 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. Dorset leads with 189 Trowbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.99x.

County Total Index
Dorset 189 36.99x
Hampshire 133 8.34x
Wiltshire 133 19.32x
Middlesex 101 1.30x
Surrey 47 1.24x
Somerset 34 2.71x
Gloucestershire 26 1.70x
Lancashire 24 0.26x
Kent 18 0.68x
Sussex 15 1.14x
Essex 12 0.78x
Monmouthshire 12 2.13x
Derbyshire 10 0.82x
Berkshire 9 1.54x
Channel Islands 7 3.03x
Norfolk 7 0.58x
Devon 5 0.31x
Hertfordshire 3 0.56x
Herefordshire 2 0.63x
Northamptonshire 2 0.27x
Warwickshire 2 0.10x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.21x
Glamorgan 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Donhead St Mary in Wiltshire leads with 28 Trowbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 800.00x.

Place Total Index
Donhead St Mary 28 800.00x
Christchurch 25 72.25x
Okeford Fitzpaine 24 1472.39x
Sturminster 24 484.85x
Child Okeford 21 933.33x
Portsea 21 6.72x
Anstey 14 1794.87x
Bower Chalk 13 1160.71x
Folke 13 1830.99x
Clerkenwell London 12 6.53x
Islington London 12 1.59x
Grately 11 1617.65x
Lambeth 11 1.62x
St Pancras London 11 1.76x
Hammersmith London 10 5.21x
Pentridge 10 1587.30x
Haydon 9 3103.45x
Derby St Werburgh 8 11.37x
Egham 8 34.35x
Frome 8 26.69x
Nunney 8 295.20x
Shaftesbury St James 8 299.63x
West Ham 8 2.36x
Woodford 8 683.76x
Bradford 7 16.19x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 13.75x
Caundle Bishop 7 786.52x
Caundle Marsh 7 2692.31x
Chelsea London 7 2.98x
Corfe Castle 7 147.99x
Heytesbury 7 278.88x
Northfleet 7 29.91x
Southwark St John 7 29.40x
Tollard Farnham 7 1428.57x
Ventnor 7 46.14x
Westminster St John 7 7.38x
Wigan 7 5.42x
Bridgewater 6 17.64x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 4.17x
Bristol Temple 6 59.70x
Chitterne St Mary 6 1132.08x
Cranborne 6 97.09x
Croydon 6 2.85x
Downton 6 66.59x
Fordington 6 54.55x
Hurstbourne Priors 6 550.46x
St Helier 6 7.99x
St Lawrence 6 909.09x
St Woollos 6 9.55x
Staines 6 48.66x
Westbury 6 37.34x
Abbotts Ann 5 277.78x
Glastonbury 5 48.88x
Hackney London 5 1.15x
Holdenhurst 5 11.95x
Mile End Old Town 5 4.07x
Millbrook 5 12.44x
North Stoneham 5 138.12x
Shadwell London 5 22.96x
Shaftesbury St Peter 5 210.08x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 5 18.80x
Bristol St James In 4 17.82x
Donhead St Andrew 4 188.68x
Fisherton Anger 4 31.40x
Fugglestone St Peter 4 146.52x
Hunstanton 4 99.01x
Kensington London 4 0.92x
Marnhull 4 107.53x
Reading St Lawrence 4 32.00x
Reading St Mary 4 8.55x
Sixpenny Handley 4 160.00x
Southampton All Sts 4 14.61x
Southampton St Mary 4 3.99x
Sutton 4 14.58x
West Wittering 4 227.27x
Litton Cheney 3 243.90x
Shilling Okeford 3 198.68x
St Nicholas 3 319.15x
Titchfield 3 24.94x
West Tisbury 3 141.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 38
George 36
John 30
James 28
Henry 26
Thomas 24
Charles 20
Samuel 13
Alfred 12
Albert 10
Edward 9
Frank 9
Frederick 8
Herbert 8
Arthur 7
Edwin 7
Robert 7
Sidney 7
Walter 6
Stephen 5
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Sydney 4
Tom 4
David 3
Isaac 3
Joseph 3
Fred 2
Job 2
Reuben 2
Wm. 2
Allan 1
Ambrose 1
Chas. 1
Chs. 1
Cordelia 1
Edmund 1
Elias 1
Elisha 1
Ephraim 1
Geo. 1
Jas.A. 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Lot 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Morgan 1
Percy 1

FAQ

Trowbridge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trowbridge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 788 people were recorded with the Trowbridge surname. That placed it at #4,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trowbridge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,006 in 2016. That gives Trowbridge a modern rank of #5,776.

What does the Trowbridge surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Trowbridge in England, meaning "bridge by a trough."

What does the Trowbridge map show?

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