English surname from Old English treowth meaning 'truth' or 'faithfulness.'
Truitt is an English surname repurposed as a given name, carrying with it the quiet dignity of an old-family name brought forward into new use. Its origins are somewhat obscure, but the name is likely derived from an Anglo-Norman or Old French root — possibly from truite, meaning "trout," used as a locational or occupational surname for someone who lived near trout waters or traded in the fish. Alternatively, it may trace to a variant spelling of Truett or a regional English place name now lost to time.
The double-t ending gives it a crisp, definitive quality characteristic of English surname-names. As a given name, Truitt is rare and carries the particular appeal of surnames-as-first-names that has been a persistent thread in American naming culture — think Barrett, Emmett, or Beckett. It feels rooted and substantive without being burdened by centuries of overuse.
The Baptist evangelist George W. Truett (1867–1944), one of the most influential American preachers of the early 20th century and longtime pastor of First Baptist Dallas, gave the surname considerable visibility in the American South, which may account for its occasional use as a given name in Southern families. Today Truitt appeals to parents seeking something genuine and grounded — a name that sounds like it has always belonged to someone dependable.