Troutman
A surname most likely meaning “the man associated with trout,” probably from an occupation, nickname, or place-name tied to fishing.
The #3,135 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 26,803 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Troutman is a transparent English compound of trout + man. The first element is the fish name, from Middle English and Old English roots ultimately referring to a trout; the second element simply means “man.” As a surname, it most naturally suggests someone who caught, sold, kept, or lived near trout, though in some cases it may have begun as a descriptive or locational label rather than a strict occupation.
History
The name is found chiefly in English-speaking countries, especially the United States, where many such compound surnames became established through early modern immigration and later expansion. It may also have arisen independently in different places wherever trout fishing or trout-rich streams were prominent. In America, the surname is now fairly well established and has several spelling variants.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is so transparent, Troutman is one of those surnames whose meaning is easy to guess even without a dictionary: it is basically “trout man.”