Surname Trethewey - Meaning and Origin

Trethewey: What does the surname Trethewey mean?

The last name Trethewey is believed to be derived from the English and Cornish given names of Trembley. The meaning of Trethewey is "dweller by the tree" or "dweller at the tree fort". This implies that those belonging to this family originated from a place that was well-known for its trees.

The family likely dates to the 12th century and is believed to have originated in South West England, likely Devon. In the Middle Ages, this family began to spread out across the British Isles and eventually to Europe and the American Colonies.

The Trethewey family has a long history of service to their communities and countries. Many of their members have been influential in their respective fields, ranging from politicians to musicians to scientists. In the 21st century, the family is still well-known and respected.

In modern times, the Trethewey surname has a strong presence in the United States, mostly in the South. There is also a presence in other parts of the world in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Overall, the Trethewey surname is a proud one and carries a long and distinguished history with it that is certain to continue throughout the ages.

Trethewey: Where does the name Trethewey come from?

The last name Trethewey is most commonly found in the English-speaking nations of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. The surname is derived from the Old English name Trétthewége, which means “a place of refugees,” and was first documented in England in the 13th century. There are numerous listed variations of the spelling of this surname, including Trethewy, Tretheway, Tretheweigh, and Trethewey.

Today, the Trethewey surname is most prominent in the United States, with over 7,500 Americans bearing this last name. The highest concentration of Trethewey families live in the southern states of Louisiana and Georgia. Most Tretheweys living in the US descend from early English colonists who settled in the south during the 1600s and 1700s, or later migrants from Britain in the 19th century.

Trethewége and its many variations are also widespread across the United Kingdom. The highest concentrations are in Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset. Ancestry studies have shown that Trethewey is quickly becoming a more common surname in Great Britain, due to post-WWII immigration patterns, indicating a steady growth in population carrying the Trethewey last name.

In Australia, the vast majority of Trethewey families are of British descent, with the highest concentration found in Queensland. Many Trethewey families in Australia trace their roots back to Cornish miners who arrived in the 1890s to work in the goldfields. Despite its long history in Australia, the Trethewey surname remains relatively uncommon in this country.

Variations of the surname Trethewey

The surname Trethewey is an anglicised form of the Cornish "Trethue", derived from the Old Cornish "tre" meaning town or homestead and "thaue" meaning furze or heather. This surname is found in several variant spellings and forms, such as Trethewy, Trethevey, Trethevi, Tretheve, and Trethevie.

Within Britain, the Trethewey surname is most frequent in Cornwall, with records of Trethewey families in Cornwall dating back to the 1600s. However, there are also records of the surname in Devon, South Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. It is also notable that the Trethewey surname is most commonly found in English-speaking countries, such as the United States and Canada, which have descendants of Cornish immigrants.

In addition to the many variants of the Trethewey surname, there are other surnames of similar origin. Common ones include: Trethaway, Trewhella, Trewheeler, and Trewhela. All of these surnames are derived from the same source, and many families have used multiple different spellings over time.

Ultimately, the Trethewey surname can be found in numerous forms in English-speaking countries, from Trethewey to Trethevy to Tretheve. There are also several other surnames of Cornish origin that share the same source. Therefore, it is likely that those with the Trethewey surname have ancestors with ties to Cornwall or other parts of the British Isles.

Famous people with the name Trethewey

• Natasha Trethewey: American poet from Gulfport, Mississippi who was appointed the 19th Poet Laureate of the United States and was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.
• Leanne Trethewey: Canadian actress from Ontario who is well known for her roles in The Covenant (2006), ReGenesis (2004-2008), and Ghost Wars (2017-2018).
• Ruth Roberts Trethewey: Canadian opera singer who has performed around the world, including with the Canadian Opera Company, Pacific Opera Victoria, Manitoba Opera, and the Vancouver Opera.
• Maureen Trethewey: English printmaker from Ottery St. Mary, Devon who has exhibited around the world.
• Brian Trethewey: Canadian film director from Alberta who is known for his award-winning short films and his feature film The Salt Flats (2009).
• Elly Trethewey: Acclaimed New Zealand landscape artist whose works are held in the permanent collections of the Auckland Art Gallery, Waikato Art Museum, and the National Gallery of New Zealand.
• Emma Trethewey: Australian author, orator, and public speaker from Perth. She is widely acclaimed for her thought-provoking discussion of the power of travel and exploration.
• Craig Trethewey: American professional hockey player and former member of the Philadelphia Phantoms, a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.
• Joe Trethewey: New Zealand actor from Auckland best known for playing Josh Carlyle in Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord (1998-2000).
• Amanza Trethewey: Canadian film producer, director, and screenwriter from the city of Ladysmith in British Columbia. Her directorial debut, The Right Direction (2008), was shortlisted for Academy Award consideration.

Other surnames

TrethewayTrethewieTrethewy