NameCensus.

UK surname

Truby

A variant of the English surname Truby, derived from a nickname for someone of sturdy or robust stature.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Truby surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 392, ranked #12,052, up from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Oxford City: St Giles, London parishes and Charlton-on-Otmoor. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Truby is 410 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.3%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

392

2016, ranked #12,052

Peak year

2010

410 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Truby had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 392 in 2016, ranked #12,052.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 282 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Truby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Truby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Truby 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 116 #15,545
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 282 #11,915
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 369 #12,077
1999 modern 384 #11,800
2000 modern 391 #11,591
2001 modern 385 #11,534
2002 modern 382 #11,839
2003 modern 391 #11,441
2004 modern 395 #11,390
2005 modern 396 #11,271
2006 modern 391 #11,432
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 377 #12,014
2009 modern 382 #12,150
2010 modern 410 #11,754
2011 modern 407 #11,709
2012 modern 400 #11,726
2013 modern 410 #11,693
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 405 #11,800
2016 modern 392 #12,052

Geography

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Where Trubys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Oxford City: St Giles, London parishes, Charlton-on-Otmoor and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell and Blackpool. 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 Oxford City: St Giles Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Charlton-on-Otmoor Oxfordshire
4 Swansea Glamorganshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 014 Cherwell
2 Blackpool 013 Blackpool
3 Cherwell 019 Cherwell
4 Cherwell 017 Cherwell
5 Cherwell 018 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Truby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Truby

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Truby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Truby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Truby is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Truby is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Truby falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Truby

The surname Truby is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "trub," which meant a wooden trough or a shallow vessel used for holding liquids or food. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who made or used such vessels as part of their trade or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Truby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Trubby." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a detailed survey of land ownership and resources across much of England and parts of Wales. The presence of the name in this record indicates that the Truby surname has a long-standing history in England.

During the 13th century, the name Truby appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it was spelled as "Trubby." This variation in spelling was common during this time period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

One notable individual with the surname Truby was Sir Thomas Truby, a knight who lived in the 14th century. He was mentioned in the Calendar of Close Rolls from 1346, which recorded legal transactions and royal orders during the reign of Edward III.

In the 16th century, the surname Truby was found in various places across England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One example is John Truby, a landowner from Lincolnshire who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524.

Another individual of note was William Truby, a merchant from London who lived in the late 17th century. He was involved in the East India trade and is mentioned in several historical records related to maritime commerce during that period.

By the 18th century, the surname Truby had spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One prominent figure was Robert Truby, a Scottish writer and philosopher born in 1761. He authored several works on moral philosophy and ethics, and his writings were widely influential during the Scottish Enlightenment.

As the centuries progressed, the Truby surname continued to be found across various regions of the United Kingdom, with individuals from different walks of life carrying this name. It is a surname with a rich history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have borne it over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Truby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Truby 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 50 Trubys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 50 3.13x
Oxfordshire 28 28.34x
Warwickshire 15 3.72x
Glamorgan 14 5.03x
Staffordshire 12 2.22x
Worcestershire 10 4.79x
Flintshire 9 20.93x
Kent 6 1.10x
Yorkshire 4 0.25x
Berkshire 3 2.50x
Cambridgeshire 3 2.96x
Northumberland 3 1.26x
Gloucestershire 2 0.64x
Hampshire 2 0.61x
Devon 1 0.30x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Surrey 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oxford St Giles in Oxfordshire leads with 16 Trubys recorded in 1881 and an index of 339.70x.

Place Total Index
Oxford St Giles 16 339.70x
Aston 15 13.50x
St George In East 13 119.49x
West Bromwich 11 35.59x
Clase 9 86.87x
Rhuddlan 9 237.47x
Evesham All Sts 7 721.65x
Cranford 6 2142.86x
Lewisham 6 20.61x
Charlton On Otmoor 5 1724.14x
Swansea Town 5 21.89x
Heston 4 75.33x
Mile End Old Town 4 15.84x
St Andrew Holborn 4 73.80x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 3 67.87x
Hendon 3 52.08x
Hillingdon 3 58.82x
Newbury 3 77.92x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 21.10x
Salwarpe 3 1304.35x
St Pancras London 3 2.33x
Aldershot 2 18.21x
Bicester Market End 2 110.50x
Bourton On The Water 2 312.50x
Crigglestone 2 130.72x
Hackney London 2 2.23x
Hornsey 2 9.89x
Kensington London 2 2.25x
Langcliffe 2 526.32x
Shoreditch London 2 2.88x
Stokenchurch 2 227.27x
Croydon 1 2.31x
Crumpsall 1 22.37x
Islington London 1 0.64x
Launton 1 303.03x
Malborough 1 75.76x
Merton 1 1111.11x
Neithrop 1 30.12x
Paddington London 1 1.70x
Walsall Foreign 1 3.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 6
Alice 5
Amelia 3
Ann 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Lydia 2
Martha 2
Rosa 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elima 1
Elisa 1
Elisabeth 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Lidia 1
Lousia 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Nellie 1
Phebe 1
Plisula 1
Rebecca 1
Selina 1
Violed 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
Thomas 7
William 6
Henry 5
James 5
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
George 3
Allen 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Josiah 1
Moses 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Truby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Truby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Truby surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Truby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 392 in 2016. That gives Truby a modern rank of #12,052.

What does the Truby surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Truby, derived from a nickname for someone of sturdy or robust stature.

What does the Truby map show?

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