Show ContentsTreadwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Treadwell family

The surname Treadwell was first found in Suffolk where Thomas Treddewel held estates c. 1248. [1]

The name literally means "dweller at a path, or road, by a spring or stream." [2] "The Tredwells or Treadwells are also represented in Kent. The name of Treadwell occurred in Enstone parish 200 years ago. T. Treadwell was mayor of Oxford in 1758." [3]

Up in Scotland, Saint Triduana, also known as Trodline, Tredwell, and in Norse as Trøllhaena, was an early Christian woman who was associated with various places in Scotland. It is thought she probably lived sometime between the 4th and 8th centuries. St Tredwell's Chapel, Papa Westray is a renowned Orkney pilgrimage-centre, standing on a conical mound on a small peninsula. Here, late medieval walls can be seen, built over Iron Age ruins.

Early History of the Treadwell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Treadwell research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1593, 1603, 1604, 1615, 1624, 1642 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Treadwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Treadwell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Treadwell, Treadway, Threadwell, Tredway, Threadway, Tredway, Tradewell, Tradway and many more.

Early Notables of the Treadwell family

Distinguished members of the family include Lady Lettice Mary Tredway (1593-1677), an English abbess in Paris, the daughter of Sir Walter Tredway of Beckley, Buckinghamshire, and afterwards of Northamptonshire. Born in 1593...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Treadwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Treadwell Ranking

In the United States, the name Treadwell is the 3,357th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. [4]


United States Treadwell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Treadwell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mrs. Mary Treadwell, (Tredwell), aged 30, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Hopewell" [5]
  • Thomas Treadwell, (Tredwell), aged 1, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Hopewell" [5]
  • Thomas Treadwell, (Tredwell), aged 30, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Hopewell" [5]
  • Edward Treadwell, who landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1637 [6]
  • Thomas Treadwell, who arrived in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1638 [6]
Treadwell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Agus Treadwell, who arrived in New Jersey in 1762 [6]
Treadwell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J P Treadwell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [6]
  • J C Treadwell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [6]

Australia Treadwell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Treadwell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Treadwell, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "David Lyon" on 29th April 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [7]
  • Hannah Treadwell, aged 14, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Shackamaxon" [8]

New Zealand Treadwell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Treadwell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Betsey Treadwell, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874 [9]
  • Jane Treadwell, aged 27, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874 [9]
  • Miss Betsey Treadwell, (b. 1855), aged 19, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 [10]
  • Miss Jane Treadwell, (b. 1847), aged 27, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 [10]

Contemporary Notables of the name Treadwell (post 1700) +

  • Louis Mead Treadwell II (b. 1956), American politician, 11th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska from 2010 to 2014
  • Marshall Treadwell (1875-1958), American politician and farmer, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from New Fairfield, 1921-1922
  • Alexander Treadwell, American politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 2004
  • Harry A. Treadwell, American politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from East Hartford, 1910
  • John Treadwell (1745-1823), American politician, Delegate to Continental Congress from Connecticut, 1784-1787, Member of Connecticut Council of Assistants, 1786-1798, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, 1797-1809, Governor of Connecticut, 1809-11
  • Timothy Treadwell (1957-2003), born Timothy Dexter, an American environmentalist and bear enthusiast who was killed by a brown bear, inspiration for the acclaimed 2005 documentary film Grizzly Man
  • Sophie Treadwell (1885-1970), American playwright and journalist, best known for her play Machinal
  • Captain Jack L Treadwell, American officer awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1945
  • David Treadwell (b. 1965), American football placekicker
  • Frederick Pearson Treadwell (1857-1919), American-Swiss Chemist
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-lyon
  8. South Australian Register Thursday 20 January 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SHACKAMAXON 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/shackamaxon1853.shtml
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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