Show ContentsTraisghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Traisghan family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Northamptonshire at Rushton. Today Tresham is a chapelry, in the parish of Hawkesbury, union of Chipping-Sodbury, Upper division of the hundred of Grumbald's-Ash in Gloucestershire.

Early Origins of the Traisghan family

The surname Traisghan was first found in Northamptonshire at Rushton. Conjecturally, the family are descended from one of the holders of the lands of Rushton at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 A.D. The holders of the land, which consisted of a village and 2 mills were Hugh, who held it from Robert de Tosny, William who held it from Robert de Bucy and Eustace from the Countess Judith. All three shared in this rich hundred of Northampton in 1086.

"The Hall [of Rushton] is a fine old building erected by the Treshams, a family of consideration in the time of Elizabeth: at one extremity of the park is a curious triangular lodge, which is almost unique." 1

The church of Geddington, Northamptonshire has a memorial of the family. "The church is an ancient structure, consisting of a nave, two aisles and a chancel. The tower and spire are of the perpendicular style, and are extremely graceful and well proportioned; the spire is octagonal, with three stages of lights, the lower ones being double. Three sedilia, with a piscina, are in tolerable preservation; and in the chancel are memorials of the Tresham family, some members of which were engaged in the Gunpowder plot." 1

Early History of the Traisghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Traisghan research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1404, 1415, 1450, 1468, 1470, 1471, 1495, 1524, 1532, 1539, 1543, 1547, 1548, 1550, 1551, 1555, 1556, 1558, 1559, 1567, 1569, 1605, 1611, 1640, 1847 and 1872 are included under the topic Early Traisghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Traisghan Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Tresham, Treysham, Trasham, Traisham, Treasham and many more.

Early Notables of the Traisghan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William Tresham JP (1404-1450), an English lawyer and Speaker of the House of Commons; and his son, Sir Thomas Tresham (died 6 May 1471), a British politician, soldier and administrator, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London from 1468 until Henry VI regained the throne in 1470. After the Battle of Barnet he fled to meet Margaret of Anjou but was captured and executed on 6 May 1471. William Tresham (1495-1569) was an English academic and priest. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1532-1547), (1550-1551), 1556 and...
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Traisghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Traisghan family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Traisghan or a variant listed above were: Casper Treschum who arrived in Philadelphia in 1753.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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