Recorded in various spellings including Tretter, Trotter, Truder, Truther, Truter, and others, this is an English surname. The records of the 'Ye Government and Councill of ye Assembly' of the Sommer Islands (now the West Indies) for August 23rd 1673 refer to the lands in St Davids Island, and in particular "ye lands of Mr Perient Trotter". This entry is one of the earliest of recorded surnames in the new English colonies of the 17th century. However the surname derives from the Olde French word "trotier" a descriptive nickname for a messenger, and one introduced by the Norman Invaders after the conquest of England in 1066. In its useage and recordings the name has overlapped with the English pre 10th century "Trothe," again a nickname, but this time for a person singled out for their loyalty and faithfulness. Early recordings include Adam le Trotar in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219, William Le Trot in Sussex in 1327, and Thomas Truht of Somerset in the same year. Later recordings include Jeffry Troter, the bailiff of Yarmouth, Norfolk, in 1340, Jane Trott, married at St Michaels Cornhill, in the city of London on July 1st 1661, and Alice Truther at St James church, Dukes Place, Westminster, on December 29th 1681. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robart Trotar. This was dated 1148, in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire, during the reign of King Stephen of England, 1135 - 1154. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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