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Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Tremaant. 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 Tremaant 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 Tremaant is a local type of surname and the Tremaant 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
The surname Tremaant 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
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tremaant 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 Tremaant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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.
Notable amongst the family at this time was John Tremayne (of Collacombe), High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1485; and John Tremayne (of Tremayne), High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1487.
Edmund Tremayne (d. 1582), was Clerk of the Privy Council, was second son of Thomas Tremayne of Collacombe, Lamerton, Devonshire, where the Devonshire branch of this old Cornish family had been established since 1366.
"Edmund entered the service of Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devonshire, in the autumn of 1553, but was committed to the...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tremaant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Tremaant were Mary Tremayne, who settled in Barbados in 1665; and Martha Tremain, who settled in Virginia in 1734.