Trotz

Trotz is a German word meaning in spite of or despite. It functions as a preposition that traditionally governs the genitive case, as in trotz des Regens (“in spite of the rain”). In contemporary usage, the genitive form is sometimes replaced by a colloquial construction such as trotzdem or despite the rain in English. The expression appears in many common phrases, such as trotz allem (“in spite of everything”) and trotz der Schwierigkeiten (“in spite of the difficulties”). While it can be used in formal writing, it is encountered more frequently in everyday speech.

Trotz is also a surname of German origin. It occurs in German-speaking countries and among diaspora communities. Like many German surnames, its origin may lie in a descriptive nickname or a term associated with a personal trait. People with the surname Trotz have appeared in public records across various fields, including academia, the arts, and sports, reflecting the surname’s broad geographic and social distribution.

In language and onomastics, Trotz exemplifies how a common preposition can also function as a family name. The word remains part of standard German vocabulary and appears in published texts that discuss grammar, usage, and historical development of German prepositions and surname etymology.