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Trent Family History

Trent Surname Meaning

English: topographic name for someone living on the banks of any of several rivers so called but principally from the village of Trent in Dorset, which takes its name from the Trent Brook, a tributary of the River Yeo. The river name is of British origin and probably means ‘the trespasser, the river liable to floods’.

Scottish: possibly a habitational name from a shortened form of Tranent (Midlothian). The placename is of British origin and means ‘village of the streams’ (compare Welsh tref ‘homestead, village’ + neint ‘streams’).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Trent family from?

You can see how Trent families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Trent family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Trent families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 144 Trent families living in Dorset. This was about 28% of all the recorded Trent's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Trent families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Trent surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Trent ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Trent. 16% of Trent men worked as a Gardener and 79% of Trent women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Trent were Architect and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Trent | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Gardener
    16%
  • Lorry Driver
    12%
  • General Dealer
    12%
  • Architect
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Domestic Duties
    5%
  • Paid Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Trent family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 62,000 census records available for the last name Trent. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Trent census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Trent

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Trent. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Trent immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Trent. For the veterans among your Trent ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Trent military records

You've only scratched the surface of Trent family history

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What is the average Trent lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Trent life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Trent in 1944 was 23, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Trent

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Trent ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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