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Tremain History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Tremain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Tremain. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Tremain family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Tremain is a local type of surname and the Tremain family lived in Cornwall, at the manor of Tremayne, in the Parish of St. Martin. It comes from the Cornish words "tre," meaning settlement and "men," meaning stone. 1 "Its name is of Cornish extraction, signifying the stone town, the river, or, passage town." 2

Early Origins of the Tremain family

The surname Tremain was first found in Cornwall at Tremaine (Tremayne) which dates back to c. 1230, when it was listed at that time with its Cornish spelling of Treman. 1

The family originally held the manor of Tremayne in the Parish of St. Martin on the banks of Helford-Haven. Today, Tremayne is a hamlet in the parish of St Martin in Meneage.

"The barton of Tremayne, which originally gave its name to the Tremaynes, who had their seat here, was carried by an heiress of an elder branch, in marriage to the Trethurfes." 2

The first ancestor of the family was Perys de Tremayne of Tremayne who lived in the reign of Edward III and assumed the local name. 3 4

"Towards the conclusion of Elizabeth's reign, Heligan was purchased by Sampson Tremayne, Esq. ancestor of the Rev. Henry Hawkins Tremayne, the present proprietor. This much respected family, are said to have descended from ancestors called Peres, who settling at Tremayne in the parish of St. Martin in Meneage, took the name of that barton early in the fourteenth century, from which time that of Peres was discontinued. A grandson of the first Tremayne, marrying an heiress of Collacombe in Devonshire, removed thither. But when Heligan was purchased by Sampson Tremayne, Esq. this branch of that family removed to this place, in which they have ever since continued. Heligan is now the seat of the Rev. H. H. Tremayne, and of his son John Hearle Tremayne, Esq. one of the members for the county, who married a daughter of Sir William Lemon, bart. The Tremaynes of Heligan have formed alliances in their descent, with the families of Clotworthy, Hawkins, Hearle, and several others of high respectability. Heligan House, as it stood till lately, was built by Sir John Tremayne, serjeant at law, about the year 1692; but of late years it has been so enlarged and improved by its present possessor, as to assume the appearance of a splendid mansion. It is situated on a pleasing eminence, having a southern aspect, which commands a lovely vale leading to Mevagissey; some parts of which may be seen from its windows, and opening a delightful sea prospect to the view." 2

Early History of the Tremain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tremain research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1366, 1485, 1487, 1553, 1554, 1582, 1603, 1647, 1659, 1692 and 1694 are included under the topic Early Tremain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tremain 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 Tremayne, Tremain, Tremayn, Tremaine and others.

Early Notables of the Tremain family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Sir John Tremayne or Tremaine (d. 1694), was an English lawyer, eldest son of Lewis Tremayne, Lieutenant-Governor of Pendennis Castle

Tremain migration to the United States +

An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Tremain or a variant listed above:

Tremain Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Martha Tremain, who settled in Virginia in 1734

Tremain Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Tremain, who arrived in New York in 1847 5

Tremain migration to Australia +

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

Tremain Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Tremain, (b. 1811), aged 37, Cornish mason from St. Breock, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Aurora" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 7th December 1848 6
Mrs. Rebecca Tremain, (b. 1813), aged 35, Cornish settler from St. Breock, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Aurora" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 7th December 1848 6
Mr. William Tremain, (b. 1836), aged 12, Cornish settler from St. Breock, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Aurora" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 7th December 1848 6
Miss Hannah Tremain, (b. 1840), aged 8, Cornish settler from St. Breock, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Aurora" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 7th December 1848 6
Mr. John Tremain, (b. 1842), aged 6, Cornish settler from St. Breock, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Aurora" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 7th December 1848 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tremain 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:

Tremain Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

E. Tremain, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 7
Miss Mary A. Tremain, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 7
Miss Elizabeth Tremain, (b. 1871), aged 5, Cornish settler departing on 24th June 1876 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th September 1876 8
Mr. James Tremain, (b. 1866), aged 10, Cornish settler departing on 24th June 1876 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th September 1876 8
Mr. John Tremain, (b. 1834), aged 42, Cornish farm labourer departing on 24th June 1876 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th September 1876 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Tremain (post 1700) +

Ben Tremain, American member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Lyman Tremain (1819-1878), American jurist and politician, New York State Attorney General (1858-1859), Speaker of the New York State Assembly in 1866
Thomas Tremain (b. 1737), English organist, Deputy Organist of Chichester Cathedral (1771-1775)
Rose Tremain CBE (b. 1943), English multiple award wining author including the Orange Prize (2008), Whitbread Award (1999), Prix Femina Étranger (1994) and more; current Chancellor of the University of East Anglia
Joseph Tremain (b. 1991), English actor, best known for his starring role in the first series of the children's television series Morris 2274
Kelvin Robin "Kel" Tremain (1938-1992), New Zealand former rugby union player who played from 1959 to 1968 for the New Zealand National team (All Blacks), for which he won 38 full caps between 1959 and 1968
Hadley Brown Tremain (1874-1951), Canadian lawyer and political figure in Nova Scotia
Garrick Tremain (b. 1941), New Zealand cartoonist and painter, finalist for the Qantas Media Awards Cartoonist in 2000 and 2004
Chris Tremain (b. 1966), Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for Napier (2008-)
Brigadier Albert Edward Duncier Tremain (b. 1899), Canadian Commanding Officer Increment Headquarters 1st Canadian Army, England 9
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Tremain family +

Air New Zealand Flight 901

Mrs. Florence Ann Tremain (1918-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Taupo, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 10
Mr. Robert David Tremain (1922-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Taupo, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 10

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 3) Albert Tremain. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Tremain/Albert_Edward_Duncier/Canada.html
Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx