Trest History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Cornwall in southwestern England provides the original birthplace of the surname Trest. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. 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 Trest history began in Cornwall. Their name, however, is derived from the Old French word triste, meaning meeting place, and indicates that they lived near a popular meeting place.

Early Origins of the Trest family

The surname Trest was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat at Lords of the Manor of Parc Behan. The main stem of this distinguished Cornish family flourished until the 15th or 16th centuries. It is curious how the evolution of the family motto has been woven around the family surname 'Nec Triste, Nec trepidum', Neither sad nor fearful. This used to be a common practice in the 13th and 14th centuries, particularly in war cries, which frequently held only one word, the family name.

Early History of the Trest family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Trest research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1748 is included under the topic Early Trest History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trest 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 Trist, Triste, Triss, Trisse and others.

Early Notables of the Trest family

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

Migration of the Trest family

A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Trest: David Triss who landed in North America in 1730; as well as Arthur Trist, who arrived in New England in 1716.

The Trest 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: Nec triste nec trepidum
Motto Translation: Neither sad nor fearful.