Surname Trolle - Meaning and Origin

Trolle: What does the surname Trolle mean?

The last name Trolle is of Scandinavian origin and is associated with nobility, a name historically given to a high-ranking member of the aristocracy. The noble families known as “Trolle” in Sweden largely date back to the 14th century, with the most renowned being the Knut Trolle family, an especially powerful clan that entertained a close relationship to the Swedish crown.

At its origin, the Trolle name derives from the Old Norse language and is derived from the Old Norse word “Trolli”, which means someone who loves an old-fashioned way of life. Alternatively, the last name has also been known to have its roots in the Latin words “trolla” and “trollare”, which respectively mean “to wander” and “a wanderer”.

Throughout their history, many prominent Trolle families have also held important positions in the Royal courts and Swedish governments. One such individual was Magnus Trolle, a politician and military man in the early 16th century, who was featured in a number of books and even awarded his own memorial cross at Stockholm Cathedral by King Gustav I of Sweden.

Today, the name Trolle is still frequently found in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. It also carries with it a sense of purpose and nobility, symbolizing a dyed-in-the-wool commitment to honour and justice. As such, the name Trolle serves to represent an independent people, resilient and creative, capable of overcoming even the most difficult of obstacles and dedicated to their commitment of doing so.

Trolle: Where does the name Trolle come from?

The last name Trolle is commonly found in both Sweden and Denmark. It’s an ancient Viking surname, with historical references dating back to the late 10th century. The name is derived from the Old Norse word “trulle” which means “heavy spear” and refers to a type of lance or warrior’s weapon. In Sweden, Trolle is the 4th most common surname, with over 24,000 known people having the name today. In Denmark, the name is also quite common, ranking in the top 10 most frequent surnames.

Trolle may be a common surname in Scandinavia, but it can also be found in other parts of the world. Many people of Scandinavian heritage have often emigrated to other countries, taking their surnames with them. There are descendants of Trolle families in Germany, France, the United States, Canada and elsewhere. Interestingly, the Trolle surname is often connected with royalty and nobility in its homeland countries. The highly-respected House of Trolle is a noble family originating in Iceland and is the most famous branch of the surname.

The Trolle surname is quite unique and is easily recognizable even today. For many descendants, having this surname is a point of pride and is an important part of their family’s identity.

Variations of the surname Trolle

The surname Trolle originates from Northern Germany, and has many variations in spelling and surname derivatives. Common variant spellings include Troll, Trollé, Trolleh, Tryle, Trull, Truhl, Trohl, Treoll, Tryll, Trylle, Tröhl, Troel, Trol, Trolloh, Trolleh, Trollleh, Troloh, Trolow, Trollow, Trul, Trullen, Drolle, and Traller.

Derivatives of the Trolle surname also exist. Most of these variations include the prefixes "Trol" and/or "tro", which ultimately derive from the original form of the name. Such surname derivatives include Trollen, Trolman, Trollmann, Trollan, Trollon, Trollin, Troell, Trowell, Trowel, Trolon, Troall, Troal, Trotel, Trowal, Trollin, Trollon, Trolsen, Trole, Trolesen, Trohl, Trolow, and Trolesen.

The name is most likely derived from the medieval Germanic word "trollen", meaning to wander. This could suggest that the original bearers of the Trolle surname were travelers or vagrants. It could also be connected to nicknames of bearing a connection to animals, such as an individual who resembled a fox. It is also possible that the name refers to a follower of the Germanic god, Thor, as “trolle” is a modern Scandinavian form of the god's name.

Famous people with the name Trolle

• Oskar Trolle, Swedish sculptor.
• Lisa Trolle, Swedish physician.
• Bo Trolle, Swedish journalist.
• Anna Trolle, Swedish musician.
• Emanuel Trolle, Swedish actor.
• Ingrid Trolle, Swedish author.
• Sophie Trolle, Swedish historian.
• Adam Trolle, Swedish model.
• Magnus Trolle, Norwegian alpine skier.
• Kjeld Trolle, Danish opera singer.
• Stig Trolle Andreassen, Norwegian professor.
• Inger-Johanne Trolle, Norwegian actor.
• Tuva Trolle, Swedish singer.
• Ove Trolle, Danish former ice hockey player.
• Per Trolle, Danish photographer.
• Fredrik Trolle Wachtmeister, Swedish politician.
• Fritz Trolle Isaksen, Danish conductor and composer.
• Jan Trolle Bach, Danish journalist.
• Gerd Trolle Svanholm Andersen, Danish organist.
• Carl Trolle Vogelius, Norwegian jurist.

Other surnames

TrollTrollius