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![Show Contents]() Tregillas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The illustrious surname Tregillas finds its origin in the rocky, sea swept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Although surnames were fairly widespread in medieval England, people were originally known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted is extremely interesting. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Lords and their tenants often became known by the name of the feudal territory they owned or lived on. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort 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 derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Tregillas is a local type of surname and the Tregillas family lived in Cornwall at the manor of Tregalles, near Falmouth. Early Origins of the Tregillas familyThe surname Tregillas was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Tregalles. One of the first on record as holding the family estates was a Nicholas de Tregelles in the year 1295. Although the 'de' prefix would seem to indicate a Norman/French or Breton origin it was not uncommon for Cornish People to adopt the prefix, particularly if they traveled in court circles. The language of the court was at the time Norman/French. Early History of the Tregillas familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tregillas research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tregillas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Tregillas Spelling VariationsCornish 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 Tregelles, Tregellas, Tregillas, Tregilles and others. Early Notables of the Tregillas familyMore information is included under the topic Early Tregillas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Tregillas migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Tregillas Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Edwin Tregillas, (b. 1835), aged 19, Cornish miner, from St. Agnes, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lady Ann" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 29th September 1854 1
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Tregillas migration to Australia 
