The Truman surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,521 people carried this name — #6,195 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 53,500 people counted. That is up 1% from 5,453 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Truman surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the true man’.

An early record he cites: Agnes Treueman, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Trueman and Truman.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 767 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Truman was found among the farmers of Nottinghamshire: 12 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Nottinghamshire 12

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

28 families named Truman, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 172 people lived in those households, 6.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. 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

Pennsylvania 9
Massachusetts 4
New York 4
Maryland 4
Connecticut 3
Vermont 1
Rhode Island 1
Virginia 1
North Carolina 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. 266 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Truman in American newspapers,
1918–1920.

Newspaper page from The Irish News And Chicago Citizen carrying the name Truman
The Irish News And Chicago Citizen 1920-09-25
Newspaper page from Monroe City Democrat carrying the name Truman
Monroe City Democrat 1919-02-14
Newspaper page from The Kansas City Sun carrying the name Truman
The Kansas City Sun 1918-10-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,597 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Truman in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

58,155 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Truman. The most, 18,573, date from the 1950s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 31,767
Western Australia 6,080
South Australia 6,040
Queensland 5,907
Victoria 5,251
Tasmania 2,114
ACT (Canberra) 857
Northern Territory 67

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

Who carried it

People named Truman,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Lyman Truman
    Lyman Truman 1806–1881 · politician
  • Abigail Pearce Truman Chapman
    Abigail Pearce Truman Chapman 1845–1917
  • Martha Ellen Young Truman
    Martha Ellen Young Truman 1852–1947
  • Joseph Truman 1631–1671 · writer
  • Susanna Truman 1695–1766
  • Frances Truman 1726–1801

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 Truman,
in the records of 6 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 States512 records

512 records of the Truman name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 168
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 95
  • Other U.S. records 249
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles E. Truman

    Born 1917 in Minnesota. Enlisted 1945 at Fort Snelling; machine shop worker from Hennepin County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Thomas E. Truman

    Born 1930; from Labette County, Kansas. U.S. Army, heavy weapons infantryman; killed in action 1950 in South Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jankel Truman

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Frankfurt from Bremen, aged 32; smith. From Szepdowka, Russia.

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

Showing 3 of 512 records for Truman in the United States.

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

Australia250 records

250 records of the Truman name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 149
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 47
  • Other Australian records 54
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Truman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the York, sailing from London in 1829. Native of Chudleigh, Devon.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (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 George Truman

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Miles Barton, aged 21; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Leslie Victor Truman

    Plumber of Hoppers Crossing, Victoria; died 1989.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 250 records for Truman in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands44 records

44 records of the Truman name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 35
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 6
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Pieter Truman

    Married in 1694 in Hulst; born in Stekene.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Hermina Louisa Truman

    Died 1893 in Weesp.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Vecht en Venen (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catrina Truman

    Buried in 1749 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 44 records for Truman 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada28 records

28 records of the Truman name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 23
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Truman

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Sarmatian, landing at Quebec, bound for Gravenhurst, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Norma Agnes Truman

    Buried in 1993 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 60.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John Truman

    Died 1869 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 28 records for Truman in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand23 records

23 records of the Truman name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jeanette Ethel Truman

    Died 1951, aged 67; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Barbara Scott Truman

    Died 1900, aged 38; buried at Rutherford Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Smith Truman

    Died 1975, aged 54; buried at Akaroa Catholic Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Truman in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

United Kingdom14 records

14 records of the Truman name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Truman

    Buried in 1851 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 46.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Truman

    Welsh 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 page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Christopher Truman

    Buried in 1852 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 38.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 14 records for Truman in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); 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 Truman.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Truman is.
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