The Trent surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 19,630 people carried this name — #1,824 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,000 people counted. That is up 5% from 18,679 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Trent surname

A topographic surname: an English and Scottish surname for someone who lived near any of the rivers of that name.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Trent» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

An early record he cites: Gibert de Trent, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 763 · public domain.

In Poland’s population register

20 people named Trent have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 33 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 3 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lower Silesian.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Lower Silesian 15
West Pomeranian 3
Opole 2

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

15 Trent families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 105 people lived in those households, 7 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 11
North Carolina 2
Connecticut 1
Pennsylvania 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 265 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Trent in American newspapers,
1878–1896.

Newspaper page from The Grenada Gazette carrying the name Trent
The Grenada Gazette 1888-03-17
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Trent
The Anaconda Standard 1896-02-04
Newspaper page from Helena Weekly Herald carrying the name Trent
Helena Weekly Herald 1878-03-21

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,509 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Trent in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2010s.

5,262 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Trent. The most, 1,016, date from the 1900s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 2,037
Victoria 1,008
Queensland 783
South Australia 533
Western Australia 490
Tasmania 319
ACT (Canberra) 31
Northern Territory 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Trent.

Who carried it

People named Trent,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Newbury Abbot Trent
    Newbury Abbot Trent 1885–1953 · sculptor
  • Newbury Abbot Trent
    Newbury Abbot Trent 1885–1953 · sculptor
  • Ray S. Trent d. 1937 · writer
  • Eddie Trent d. 2020 · politician
  • William Trent 1653–1724 · judge
  • George Norris Trent 1790–1857 · naval officer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Trent,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,075 records

1,075 records of the Trent name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 612
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 235
  • Other U.S. records 228
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James O. Trent

    Born 1913; from Lauderdale County, Alabama. U.S. Army, light weapons infantry leader; killed in action 1950 in North Korea. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles W. Trent

    Born 1921 in Kansas. Enlisted 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; farmer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1985, buried at Springfield National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Schmall Trent

    Arrived at New York in 1887 aboard the Suevia from Hamburg, aged 32; laborer. From Basel, Switzerland; bound for Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,075 records for Trent in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia59 records

59 records of the Trent name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 45
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 9
  • Other Australian records 5
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ernest George Trent

    Retired farmer of Poowong North, Victoria; died 1966.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Willm J. Trent

    Arrived in Victoria in 1864 aboard the Dover Castle, aged 24.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record William Trent

    Left Launceston in 1854 aboard the Lizzie Webber, bound for Sydney, as a seaman.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 59 records for Trent in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Canada19 records

19 records of the Trent name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 5
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 5
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Dorothy Marie Trent

    Buried in 1973 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 40.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Frederick Bernard Trent

    Died in service in 1945.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Patrick Trent

    Listed at Halifax, Nova Scotia in the census and tax rolls of 1793.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 19 records for Trent in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands19 records

19 records of the Trent name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 15
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jenneken Trent

    Married in 1663 in Woudrichem; born in 's-Hertogenbosch.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Willem Trent

    Buried in 1642 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Wilhelmina Geertruida Trent

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1865 in Haarlem.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Trent in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Trent name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 6
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Trent

    Died 1915, aged 64; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rose May Trent

    Buried in 1907 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 24.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Dudley Trent

    Died 1935, aged 56; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Trent in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Germany5 records

5 records of the Trent name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Trent

    From Büdingen. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 15 October 1914 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 116).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Georg Trent

    From Ndr. Florstadt, Friedberg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 10 January 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Trent in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom3 records

3 records of the Trent name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. G. Trent

    Gunner, Kili Essex Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Trent

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record B. E. Trent

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Trent.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Trent is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Trent volume
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