Surname Treffy - Meaning and Origin
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Treffy: What does the surname Treffy mean?
The last name Treffy is of German origin. It derives from the Middle High German word ‘treffen’ which means to meet. The surname Treffy is a metonymic occupational name for anyone who worked at a meeting place, such as an innkeeper or host, or a ferryman. This suggests that the original bearers of the name Treffy were involved in travel and hospitality.
In Germany today the name Treffy is still quite common. It is most common in the south and southwest, where it originated. In the United States of America, Treffy is on record since the 18th century when bearers of the name emigrated from Germany.
Most individuals with the last name Treffy often tend to have a friendly, amiable, and sociable personality. This is perhaps a result of the many business, customer, and interpersonal relationships people with the surname Treffy have had to maintain over the years due to the trades they were involved in.
The name Treffy is not very common throughout the world, however, it is linked with people who are hospitable, friendly, kind, and outgoing. In many ways, this name has endured throughout the centuries and still stands for the same attributes it has had for centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisTreffy: Where does the name Treffy come from?
The last name Treffy is not common worldwide, but is seen in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is most commonly found in Wales, where records dating back to the 1500s show people bearing the surname. Descendants of these Welsh immigrants were part of the mass emigration to the United States during the 19th century, and some of those families then moved to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Most records stemming from this part of the world, including the 1881 Welsh census, point to the Treffy family being concentrated in North Wales in Powys and Denbighshire (also known as Denbig). The name is also present in Ireland, mainly in Co. Kilkenny and Co. Tipperary.
It is possible that the surname originated in England at some point and made its way to Wales and Ireland over the years, but there is no concrete evidence to back this theory up at this time. The Treffy last name is extremely rare today, with only a handful of households in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States listed as bearing the name.
Variations of the surname Treffy
The surname Treffy is a variant of the name Taffy. It originated in Wales and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the Welsh word 'tref', meaning 'town'.
Variants of Treffy include Traffy, Trepher, Trephard, Trefferd, Trefford, Treffers, Treffert, Tripp, Treffry, Trefry and Trewery. Some other spellings include Tref, Traf, Traph and Trefs. Taffy and Tuffy are two surnames of similar root.
The surname Treffy is commonly found in the United States, Wales and throughout England. Treffy can also be found in other countries and regions such as Canada, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. In some instances, the variant spellings and surname variants may become more common in specific parts of the world.
The Treffy surname is also known to have a long and proud history, and is often descended from Anglo-Saxon tribes or Welsh royalty. It is thought that the surname was first recorded in the mid-1600s in the county of Monmouthshire, Wales. It is believed that the first record of the surname was Thomas Treffy, who was recorded as a witness in the Monmouthshire parish of Llanthony.
In addition to the Welsh origin of the surname, the spelling of the surname has changed over the centuries. As spelling became standardized, the various spellings morphed and merged into the many forms that can be found today. It is likely that the different spellings and variants of the Treffy surname are all derived from the same source.
Famous people with the name Treffy
- Benjamin Treffy, artist and instructor
- Prudence Treffy, Canadian professional bowler
- John Treffy, British-American architect, builder of the first skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles
- Harry J Treffy, American Red Cross volunteer in the Spanish-American War
- William Treffy, Welsh industrialist and coal magnate
- Austin Treffy, US Army private awarded the Medal of Honor
- Thomas Treffy, Mayor of the South Wales Port of Cardiff
- Katherine Treffy, Canadian athlete and coaching ambassador
- Danny Treffy, Canadian hockey player and broadcaster
- Bill Treffy, English actor and magician