This surname is derived from an official title, 'the trotter,' a messenger, one who trotted. Skeat says (v. trot): 'the Frenchtrotter, 'to trot': Cotgrave French and English Dictionary Old French troter, 13th century: Littre. We also find Old French trotier, a trotter, a messenger, Low Latin trotarius, = Latin tolutarius, going at a trot.' It is possible that in some cases it is a nickname from the gait of the progenitor, as 'trotter' for a horse was in use. 'Trottare, horse, succursarius': Promptorium Parvulorum The first, of course, is the natural origin. 'Leon Trottier. French confectioner' in the London Directory, reminds us of the French equivalent.

Johannes Trotter, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Thomas Trotter.: Barnes' Ecclesiastical Proceedings (Surtees Society).

Richard Trotter. Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium in Turri Londinensi.

1596-7. Married — Walter Trotter and Elizabeth Golding: St Dionis Backchurch.

1581. Edward Mott and Isabel Trotter: Marriage Lic. (London).

This surname is derived from an occupation. 'Trotisman,' i.e. the servant of Trot or Trote (v. Trott); compare Matthewman, Addiman, Harriman, &c. One of a somewhat large class of names. No relationship with Trotter.

Bartholomew Troteman, 34 Edward I: Calendarium Genealogicum: Henry III-Edward I.

Samuel Trotman. Clutterbuck's History of Hertfordshire.

1628. Married — Richard Archer and Elizabeth Trotman: St. James, Clerkenwell.

Throgmorton Trotman, a native of Cam, Gloucestershire, a London merchant, 1663: Rudder's History Gloucestershire.

1783. Married — Richard White and Mary Trotman: St. George, Hanover Square.

From OF. trotier, mod. French trotteur, a runner, messenger. There was a Border clan of this name the head of which was Trotter of Prentannan, Berwickshire, and the name appears also in the north of England, particularly in the county of Durham, where it is common. The Trotters of Mortonhall near Edinburgh are an old family said to date back to the reign of Robert II (1370-1390). John Trottir served on an inquisition taken at Berwick-on-Tweed, 1370 (Bain, IV, 175). John Trottar of Fluriswall is mentioned in 1478, and George Trottar and Sanderis Trottar witnessed a declaration by John of Roull in 1479 (Home, 24, 25). John Trottare and Alexander Tiottare were summoned in 1479 to answer to Parliament for treason and other crimes (APS., II, p. 129). John Trotter, son and heir of quondam Ninian Trotter, had a charter of a carucate called Waringzes land in Coldingham, 1512 (RD., p. 379). Peter Trotar in Reidpeth, 1630 (Inquis., 8606). The name is common in the Commissariot Record of Lauder, 1561-1800.

1 =Trot(t)’s Man (-Servant): v. Trott.

2 = Trott (q.v.) + man ( = Mod. Ger. Trautmann, O.Ger. Trutman).

A trot in Old Scotch means an expedition by horsemen; a raid.

A rambler. John Trotter was outlawed, temp. Robert II.

(French.) Trotteur, a person always on the trot; a rambler.

Same as Trottman, Tratman, and Trautman; from German traut-mund, beloved protector.

From the German, Trautmann; a personal name.

Trotman is the name of an ancient family of gentry established in the parish of Cam during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries (Bigl.), and still represented there. Three Gloucestershire gentlemen of this name contributed £25 apiece towards the national fund collected at the time of the expected invasion of the Spanish Armada in 1588 (Sp.). Mr. Throgmorton Trotman, a London merchant 200 years ago, belonged to the Cam family; Samuel Trotman was patron of the living of Siston last century (A.). The name was represented in Nibley last century (Bigl.).

The name of Robert Trotter occurs in the list of Yorkshire contributors to the fund collected at the time of the expected Spanish invasion in 1588 (Sp.).