NameCensus.

UK surname

Trueman

An English surname implying one who is honest or trustworthy.

In the 1881 census there were 2,058 people recorded with the Trueman surname, ranking it #2,140 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,985, ranked #2,258, down from #2,140 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Ilkeston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash, Cheshire East and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trueman is 3,062 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.0%.

1881 census count

2,058

Ranked #2,140

Modern count

2,985

2016, ranked #2,258

Peak year

1999

3,062 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trueman had 2,058 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,140 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,985 in 2016, ranked #2,258.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,795 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Trueman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Trueman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Trueman 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 1,334 #2,151
1861 historical 1,081 #2,603
1881 historical 2,058 #2,140
1891 historical 2,198 #2,129
1901 historical 2,657 #2,081
1911 historical 2,795 #1,863
1997 modern 2,934 #2,209
1998 modern 3,050 #2,209
1999 modern 3,062 #2,209
2000 modern 3,021 #2,232
2001 modern 2,972 #2,218
2002 modern 3,016 #2,229
2003 modern 2,934 #2,238
2004 modern 2,969 #2,210
2005 modern 2,918 #2,217
2006 modern 2,873 #2,260
2007 modern 2,908 #2,249
2008 modern 2,919 #2,257
2009 modern 3,007 #2,246
2010 modern 3,036 #2,275
2011 modern 3,021 #2,254
2012 modern 2,961 #2,256
2013 modern 3,012 #2,260
2014 modern 3,032 #2,259
2015 modern 3,011 #2,247
2016 modern 2,985 #2,258

Geography

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Where Truemans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Ilkeston, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash, Cheshire East and Doncaster. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 003 Erewash
2 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East
3 Erewash 001 Erewash
4 Erewash 006 Erewash
5 Doncaster 003 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Trueman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Trueman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trueman, 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 Trueman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Trueman 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Trueman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Trueman 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

Trueman falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Trueman

The surname Trueman is an English occupational name that originated in the late 12th century. It derived from the Middle English "trew" meaning true or honest, and "man" referring to a person. Originally, it was used to describe a man of honor or integrity, someone who could be trusted.

In medieval England, the Trueman name was initially found in counties like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Early recordings of the name include Robert le Treweman in the Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219, and Hugo Trueman in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The Trueman surname does not appear in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, likely because it was an occupational name that emerged later. However, it is mentioned in several other historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310, which lists a John Trueman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Trueman name is Henry Trueman, who was born in Lincolnshire around 1420. Another notable bearer of the name was John Trueman, a merchant from Norfolk who lived from 1530 to 1602.

In the 17th century, the Trueman surname is found in various locations across England, including London, where a John Trueman was born in 1625. Some variations of the name during this period include Truman and Trueman.

One of the most famous individuals with the Trueman surname was Harry Trueman (1876-1949), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England. He was born in Woodhouse, Yorkshire, and is remembered for his impressive bowling skills.

Another notable Trueman was Sir Ralph Hubert Trueman (1900-1986), a British civil servant who served as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1954 to 1962. He was born in Bedfordshire and played a significant role in the development of British agricultural policies.

In the literary world, Mary Trueman (1778-1831) was an English poet and novelist who published several works, including "The Renunciation" and "The Farmer's Daughter." She was born in Wiltshire and her writings often focused on rural life and themes.

Overall, the surname Trueman has a rich history in England, originating as an occupational name that described a trustworthy and honorable individual. It has been documented in various historical records and has been borne by notable figures across different fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Trueman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trueman 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 275 Truemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.43x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 275 5.43x
Yorkshire 268 1.35x
Cheshire 192 4.33x
Derbyshire 154 4.90x
Lancashire 120 0.50x
Wiltshire 115 6.47x
Nottinghamshire 90 3.32x
Hampshire 80 1.94x
Staffordshire 77 1.14x
Durham 75 1.25x
Middlesex 75 0.37x
Worcestershire 71 2.71x
Bedfordshire 69 6.63x
Northumberland 54 1.81x
Kent 53 0.77x
Gloucestershire 44 1.12x
Leicestershire 41 1.84x
Surrey 38 0.39x
Berkshire 36 2.39x
Devon 21 0.50x
Lanarkshire 20 0.31x
Lincolnshire 12 0.37x
Northamptonshire 9 0.48x
Oxfordshire 9 0.73x
Cumberland 8 0.46x
Suffolk 8 0.33x
Wigtownshire 8 3.00x
Shropshire 7 0.40x
Somerset 7 0.22x
Sussex 6 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.25x
Hertfordshire 3 0.22x
Royal Navy 3 1.25x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.23x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.19x
Essex 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x

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 120 Truemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.11x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 120 7.11x
Aston 117 8.38x
Ilkeston 96 108.84x
Bishopwearmouth 38 7.41x
Melksham 35 113.42x
Whitby 30 44.70x
Kingswinford 26 10.56x
Bedford St Paul 23 32.23x
Bredbury 23 89.60x
Sutton In Macclesfield 23 49.97x
Manchester 22 2.05x
Macclesfield 21 10.65x
Cardington 19 224.32x
Ventnor 19 48.51x
Bosley 18 654.55x
Polesworth 18 74.81x
Bollington In 17 43.06x
Brading 16 29.23x
Dudley 15 4.70x
Mickley 14 148.46x
Westwood 14 379.40x
Wigston Magna 14 47.38x
Alvechurch 13 116.49x
Ilkestonderbypart 13 141.30x
Leicester St Mary 13 7.22x
Macclesfield Forest 13 915.49x
Wales 13 82.64x
Wildboarclough 13 822.78x
Barnsley 12 5.84x
Chatham 12 6.36x
Handsworth 12 7.18x
Ripon 12 25.97x
Shoreditch London 12 1.38x
Thirsk 12 52.24x
Claylane 11 25.15x
Ruswarp 11 49.66x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.92x
Barony 10 0.61x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 5.28x
Bradford 10 2.07x
Fernham 10 709.22x
Hucknall Torkard 10 14.56x
Lewisham 10 2.74x
Salford 10 1.43x
St Pancras London 10 0.62x
Stockport 10 4.38x
Upton 10 291.55x
Basford 9 7.21x
Biddenham 9 420.56x
Clifton 9 4.52x
Congleton 9 11.74x
Glasgow 9 0.78x
Hexham 9 19.45x
Lamesley 9 27.97x
Lenton 9 14.11x
Little Sutton 9 151.01x
Longbenton 9 7.11x
Morpeth 9 25.60x
Paddington London 9 1.22x
Rodbourne Cheney 9 65.60x
Snenton 9 8.46x
Stanton Fitzwarren 9 681.82x
Swindon 9 6.53x
Wolborough 9 17.02x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 4.31x
Blymhill 8 231.21x
Handborough 8 119.94x
Hasland 8 24.98x
Islington London 8 0.41x
Kirkmaiden 8 47.37x
Leeds 8 0.71x
Pittington 8 47.59x
Portsmouth 8 8.44x
Crondall 7 31.65x
Goodworth Clatford 7 202.90x
Liverpool 7 0.48x
Newton Abbot St Mary 7 19.95x
Nottingham Standard 7 101.16x
Tilehurst 7 22.97x
Wortley In Bramley 7 4.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 146
Sarah 88
Elizabeth 84
Ann 50
Jane 44
Emma 30
Annie 27
Eliza 26
Ellen 26
Emily 25
Fanny 25
Hannah 25
Alice 23
Harriet 20
Martha 19
Margaret 16
Maria 14
Kate 13
Ada 12
Louisa 12
Charlotte 10
Amelia 9
Clara 9
Florence 9
Minnie 9
Harriett 8
Isabella 8
Catherine 7
Frances 7
Amy 6
Caroline 6
Lucy 6
Matilda 6
Edith 5
Elizth. 5
Rebecca 5
Rose 5
Ruth 5
Anna 4
Anne 4
Jemima 4
Julia 4
Laura 4
Lizzie 4
Phoebe 4
Selina 4
Susan 4
Adeline 3
Bertha 3
Lilly 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 126
John 123
George 83
Thomas 81
James 68
Henry 51
Charles 44
Joseph 40
Samuel 30
Alfred 21
Walter 18
Albert 17
Edward 14
Robert 14
Arthur 13
Frederick 11
Richard 11
Harry 10
Ernest 7
Francis 7
Benjamin 6
Edwin 6
Elijah 6
Josiah 6
Mark 6
Amos 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
Thos. 4
Tom 4
Abraham 3
David 3
Jonathan 3
Oliver 3
Peter 3
Saml. 3
Solomon 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Fredric 2
Geo. 2
Lewis 2
Michael 2
Philemon 2
Ralph 2
Rueben 2

FAQ

Trueman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trueman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,058 people were recorded with the Trueman surname. That placed it at #2,140 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trueman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,985 in 2016. That gives Trueman a modern rank of #2,258.

What does the Trueman surname mean?

An English surname implying one who is honest or trustworthy.

What does the Trueman map show?

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