Trefrey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Trefrey history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Trefrey history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Trefrey family originally lived in Cornwall at the manor of Treffry.

Early Origins of the Trefrey family

The surname Trefrey was first found in Cornwall where "this name is derived from the manor of Treffry, in the parish of Lanhydrock, where it is traced to a very early period. " 1 The first on record was Roger Treffry about the year 1200 and 11th in descent from him in the main line was John Treffry, living in 1620.

Thomas Treffry of Lanhydrock, is said to have been grandfather or great grandfather to Sir John Treffry, who distinguished himself so bravely at the Battle of Cressy. According to the family documents, he was made knight banneret on the occasion. From that period to the present time, Place House in the parish of Fowey in Cornwall has been the residence of their representatives and descendants. "Thomas Treffry builded a right fair and stronge embatelid towr in his house : and embateling al the waulles of the house in a manner made it a castelle; and unto this day it is the glorie of the town building in Faweye." 2

This continued to be the residence of the Treffrys for many generations. Sir John Treffry was attainted by Richard III. ; but by his successful competitor for the crown, his estates were again restored. Thomas Treffry, who died in 1568, and for whom there is a memorial in Fowey church, was one of the county members in the reign of Mary. The Treffry estates continued in this family and name until the year 1658; when John Treffry, Esq. bequeathed his property to his cousin Thomas Treffry, of Rooke in St. Kew.

Records also show that the manor of Tregwide, or Tregoyde, which belonged to the ancient family of Treffry, is at present in a divided state. 2

Early History of the Trefrey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Trefrey research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1490, 1529, 1545, 1554, 1564, 1577, 1594, 1621, 1643, 1658 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Trefrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trefrey Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Treffry, Treffrey, Treffray, Trefrey, Trefry, Trefray, Trefary, Trevry, Trevrey and many more.

Early Notables of the Trefrey family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir John Treffry (1594-1658), Member of Parliament for Fowey (1621-22); Thomas Treffry (c.1490-1564), English Member of Parliament for Bodmin (1529) and Cornwall (1554); and Thomas Treffry (fl. 1545), English...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Trefrey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Trefrey family

Early records show that people bearing the name Trefrey arrived in North America quite early: James Trefary who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1765.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print