Tremaain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Tremaain history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Tremaain history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Tremaain family originally 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 Tremaain family

The surname Tremaain 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 Tremaain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tremaain 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 Tremaain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tremaain 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 Tremaain family

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 Tremaain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tremaain family

Early records show that people bearing the name Tremaain arrived in North America quite early: Mary Tremayne, who settled in Barbados in 1665; and Martha Tremain, who settled in Virginia in 1734.

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.