NameCensus.

UK surname

Truelove

An English surname derived from a nickname for a loyal or faithful person, or from a medieval pet name.

In the 1881 census there were 527 people recorded with the Truelove surname, ranking it #6,503 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 778, ranked #7,086, down from #6,503 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Darton and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Barnsley and Solihull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Truelove is 851 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.6%.

1881 census count

527

Ranked #6,503

Modern count

778

2016, ranked #7,086

Peak year

2000

851 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Truelove had 527 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,503 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 778 in 2016, ranked #7,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 804 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Truelove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Truelove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Truelove 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 304 #7,559
1861 historical 300 #8,432
1881 historical 527 #6,503
1891 historical 547 #6,916
1901 historical 743 #5,985
1911 historical 804 #5,459
1997 modern 826 #6,380
1998 modern 835 #6,529
1999 modern 835 #6,572
2000 modern 851 #6,446
2001 modern 817 #6,534
2002 modern 838 #6,535
2003 modern 821 #6,510
2004 modern 820 #6,531
2005 modern 793 #6,656
2006 modern 783 #6,743
2007 modern 781 #6,822
2008 modern 783 #6,875
2009 modern 772 #7,081
2010 modern 783 #7,153
2011 modern 783 #7,073
2012 modern 769 #7,093
2013 modern 774 #7,163
2014 modern 778 #7,159
2015 modern 774 #7,125
2016 modern 778 #7,086

Geography

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Where Trueloves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Darton, Sheffield and Reigate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Barnsley, Solihull, Swansea and Canterbury. 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 Darton Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Reigate Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
2 Barnsley 004 Barnsley
3 Solihull 017 Solihull
4 Swansea 012 Swansea
5 Canterbury 014 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Truelove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Truelove

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Truelove is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Truelove 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

Truelove 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 Truelove is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Truelove

The surname Truelove is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a descriptive surname derived from the Middle English words "true" meaning faithful or constant, and "love" meaning affection or devotion. The name likely referred to someone who was seen as a devoted or faithful lover.

In the 13th century, the surname was recorded in various spellings such as Trulove, Trowluffe, and Trewluffe. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger Trulove, whose name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

The Truelove surname is found in several historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1301, which mention a John Trulove. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname Truelove in counties such as Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

One of the most notable early bearers of the name was William Truelove, a merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in various trade records and documents from the city's archives.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Truelove was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire. Some examples of bearers from this period include John Truelove (born around 1550 in Warwickshire), and Mary Truelove (born circa 1620 in Gloucestershire).

In the 18th century, the name appears in parish records from various parts of England, such as the baptism of Thomas Truelove in 1712 in Worcestershire, and the marriage of Robert Truelove and Elizabeth Smith in 1746 in Gloucestershire.

One notable bearer of the surname Truelove was Edward Truelove, an English publisher and bookseller who lived from 1809 to 1899. He is known for publishing works by controversial authors such as Charles Bradlaugh and Annie Besant.

While the surname Truelove is not among the most common in England, it has a long and interesting history that reflects the values and traditions of medieval and early modern English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Truelove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Truelove 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. Yorkshire leads with 190 Trueloves recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 190 3.74x
Surrey 96 3.84x
Middlesex 43 0.84x
Lancashire 36 0.59x
Kent 25 1.43x
Warwickshire 25 1.93x
Lincolnshire 17 2.07x
Staffordshire 16 0.92x
Essex 11 1.09x
Northamptonshire 11 2.28x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.45x
Sussex 10 1.16x
Glamorgan 6 0.67x
Hampshire 6 0.57x
Leicestershire 6 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 5 1.61x
Shropshire 5 1.13x
Devon 3 0.28x
Bedfordshire 1 0.38x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.28x
Isle of Man 1 1.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ecclesall Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 29 Trueloves recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.04x.

Place Total Index
Ecclesall Bierlow 29 28.04x
Oldham 28 14.25x
Heeley 26 168.28x
Darton 24 460.65x
Sheffield 19 11.74x
Buckland 15 2083.33x
Nether Hallam 15 21.81x
West Bromwich 15 15.13x
Lambeth 12 2.68x
Reigate Foreign 12 44.33x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 12 103.99x
Dorking 11 65.52x
Lee 11 43.27x
Barnsley 10 19.07x
Brightside Bierlow 10 10.03x
Chelsea London 9 5.82x
Clerkenwell London 9 7.43x
Rastrick 9 63.74x
Birmingham 8 1.86x
Islip 7 700.00x
Monk Bretton 7 135.92x
Morley 7 26.49x
Reigate Borough 7 121.32x
Rusper 7 744.68x
Camberwell 6 1.83x
Chadderton 6 20.16x
Carshalton 5 52.25x
Mansfield 5 20.89x
Mexborough 5 49.55x
Newport Pagnell 5 77.04x
St Botolph Aldgate 5 71.43x
Stoneleigh 5 232.56x
Thornhill 5 33.69x
Balsall 4 198.02x
Batley 4 8.28x
Bexley 4 25.84x
Harwich St Nicholas 4 51.15x
Kensington London 4 1.40x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.88x
Newington 4 2.11x
Rawmarsh 4 22.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.87x
Sutton 4 22.11x
Wanstead 4 22.55x
Wellington 4 16.06x
Barnes 3 28.38x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 16.43x
Croydon 3 2.16x
Easton 3 172.41x
Foleshill 3 22.04x
Leigh 3 131.00x
Llandaff 3 10.09x
Powderham 3 612.24x
Rotherham 3 10.47x
St George Hanover 3 4.48x
St Pancras London 3 0.73x
Sutton In Ashfield 3 19.99x
Worsbrough 3 20.13x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 4.22x
Clapham 2 3.12x
Holdenhurst 2 7.25x
Horton In Bradford 2 2.52x
Islington London 2 0.40x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 2 73.26x
Knaith Lea Gate Burton 2 307.69x
Knowle 2 75.19x
Richmond 2 5.71x
Shustoke 2 173.91x
St Lawrence 2 454.55x
West Ham 2 0.89x
Bishop Stortford 1 8.47x
East Tilbury 1 140.85x
Greenwich 1 1.22x
Hackney London 1 0.35x
North South Killingholme 1 73.53x
Northfield 1 7.87x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 1 5.51x
Wakefield 1 2.56x
Westminster St James 1 1.90x
Whiston 1 40.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Jane 16
Sarah 14
Annie 13
Elizabeth 13
Eliza 12
Martha 12
Alice 11
Emma 9
Hannah 9
Ann 8
Emily 7
Louisa 6
Lucy 6
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Caroline 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Esther 3
Rose 3
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Selina 2
Bella 1
Blanch 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emmah 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
H.L. 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Lilly 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 23
George 15
Henry 14
Thomas 14
James 13
Joseph 13
Arthur 9
Frank 8
Edward 7
Richard 7
Albert 6
Alfred 6
Charles 6
Samuel 5
Benjamin 4
Chas. 4
Walter 4
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Alexander 2
Austin 2
David 2
Herbert 2
Joshua 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Aurthar 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Fran. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Jas. 1
Levi 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Samuell 1
Swift 1
Thirston 1
Thos. 1
Thos.William 1

FAQ

Truelove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Truelove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 527 people were recorded with the Truelove surname. That placed it at #6,503 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Truelove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 778 in 2016. That gives Truelove a modern rank of #7,086.

What does the Truelove surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a loyal or faithful person, or from a medieval pet name.

What does the Truelove map show?

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