Pentreath History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The origins of the Welsh name Pentreath go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Pentreath once lived in or near either the manor of Pen-rhys in the county of Glamorgan, or in one of the places called Penrose in Cornwall or Devon. 1 2 The surname Pentreath belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Pentreath family

The surname Pentreath was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing. Penrice Castle is a castle near Penrice, Swansea on the Gower Peninsula, Wales.

Later, some of the family were found in Worcestershire: "The old Worcestershire family of Penrice resided in the parish of Crowle in the first half of the 17th century; the name was probably taken from Penrice, a manor and castle in Glamorganshire. " 3

The Cornish branch may be related to the surname Penrose as the name Penrice and Penrose were found there as early as the Pipe Rolls of 1195. 4

Early History of the Pentreath family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pentreath research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1692, 1777 and 1904 are included under the topic Early Pentreath History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pentreath Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Pentreath has occasionally been spelled Penrice, Penrise and others.

Early Notables of the Pentreath family

More information is included under the topic Early Pentreath Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pentreath migration to the United States +

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in search of land, work, and freedom. These immigrants greatly contributed to the rapid development of the new nations of Canada and the United States. They also added a rich and lasting cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Pentreath:

Pentreath Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. John Babcock Pentreath, (b. 1812), aged 39, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 5
Mrs. Julia Pentreath, (b. 1818), aged 33, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 5
Miss Julia Pentreath, (b. 1839), aged 12, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 5
Mr. John Pentreath, (b. 1845), aged 6, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 5
Mr. William George Pentreath, (b. 1850), aged 1, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 30 April 1851 5

Pentreath migration to Australia +

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

Pentreath Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Elizabeth Pentreath, (b. 1823), aged 26, Cornish nursemaid travelling aboard the ship "Hope" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 21st June 1849 6
Mr. Peter Pentreath, (b. 1797), aged 56, Cornish carpenter departing from Deptford on 21st December 1852 aboard the ship "Monteagle" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 12th April 1853 7
Mrs. Anne Pentreath, (b. 1807), aged 46, Cornish settler departing from Deptford on 21st December 1852 aboard the ship "Monteagle" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 12th April 1853 7
Miss Mary Pentreath, (b. 1841), aged 12, Cornish settler departing from Deptford on 21st December 1852 aboard the ship "Monteagle" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 12th April 1853 7
Miss Agnes Pentreath, (b. 1844), aged 9, Cornish settler departing from Deptford on 21st December 1852 aboard the ship "Monteagle" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 12th April 1853 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Pentreath (post 1700) +

Rev. Canon Arthur Godolphin Guy Carleton Pentreath M.A. Cantab. (1902-1985), British Anglican clergyman, born in Hamilton, Bermuda
Rev. Canon Arthur Godolphin Guy Carleton Pentreath M.A. Cantab. (1902-1985), British Anglican clergyman, born in Hamilton, Bermuda
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Pentreath McClement KCB, OBE (b. 1951), British former Royal Navy officer who served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet from 2004 to 2006

The Pentreath Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Tuto et celeriter
Motto Translation: Safely and quickly.

Citations +

Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
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
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf