Surname Trevarthan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'T'
Trevarthan: What does the surname Trevarthan mean?
The surname Trevarthan is of Cornish origin. The name is locational, deriving from any of the places in Cornwall called Trevarth, Trevarthian, or Trevarthen. The elements of the name are the Cornish "tre", meaning "homestead" or "settlement," and "garth", meaning "enclosure", with the suffix "-en" or "-an" implying a diminutive. Therefore, a simple interpretation could be "a small, enclosed settlement". Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England, this practice was known as Poll Tax. As communities grew larger, it became increasingly necessary to distinguish people by identifying them with their father's name or their geographic origins. Therefore, many modern surnames, Trevarthan included, are derived from medieval estates, manors, and place names. It's also pertinent to note that variation in the spelling of surnames during this time was common, due to a lack of standardized spelling rules. Thus, this surname has seen various spellings throughout history, including Trevarthen, Trevarthan, Trewarthen, and others. Today, it is most commonly found in regions with Cornish diaspora such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisTrevarthan: Where does the name Trevarthan come from?
The last name Trevarthan is most common in the United Kingdom. It is believed that the name originated in Cornwall, although there is still a dispute over the exact origin. In terms of where it is most common today, Trevarthan is still most likely to be found in Cornwall and Devon, although there are some people of this surname scattered throughout England, Wales, and Scotland.
Outside of the UK, Trevarthan can still be found in places such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. These are all countries to which emigrants from the UK, including Cornwall, relocated in the 19th and 20th centuries. The census data from the 2020 United States Census estimates that there are 996 households with the Trevarthan surname in the United States, while the most recent Canadian Census from 2016 lists 1,530 households with the surname. The various censuses conducted in Australia and New Zealand also show approximately 700 households combined in those two countries with the Trevarthan last name.
Although there are few that still retain the Trevarthan name, there are still numerous descendants of this ancestral line across the world. In recent years, a resurgence of interest in genealogy and family history has helped more people understand where in the world their family's true origins lie.
Variations of the surname Trevarthan
Trevarthan is an uncommon surname that is believed to have originated in Cornwall, England. It is most commonly spelled as Trevarthan or Trevarthen, but other variants include Trevarthen, Trevarthen, Trevatoran, and Trevorthan.
The Trevarthan surname has its roots in the Old Cornish language and can be split into two parts; ‘tre’ meaning ‘town’ and ‘morthan’ meaning ‘a man from’. This suggests a possible origin in a Cornish town, although no specific location has been identified.
Variations of the surname include Trevathan, Trewarthan, Trevarthen, Trevatoran and Trevorthan. Other forms of the name can include Trevarton, Trevoath, Treuthan, Trevothert and Trevartham.
Some alternate spellings of the surname also exist. These include Travarthan, Travarthen, Treavarthan, Trevadhan and Tervaden.
In terms of surnames of the same origin, there are Trevartha, Trevethan, Treveth, Trevial and Trevall.
Trevarthan is an uncommon surname, but one that is steeped in history and with roots in a possible Cornish origin. The various spellings and alternate surnames demonstrate the close knit nature of the Cornish communities, where family names stem from a common source.
Famous people with the name Trevarthan
- Rachel Trevarthen: British theatre director and actor.
- Benjamin Trevarthen: Australian architect and urban designer.
- Steve Trevarthen: Welsh footballer and manager.
- Kendra Trevarthen: Canadian competitive figure skating champion.
- J. R. Trevarthen: English musician and composer.
- Victoria Trevarthen: American figure skating coach.
- Tracy Trevarthen: Irish model and actress.
- Patrick Trevarthen: British cardinal.
- Pierre Julien Trevarthen: French clergyman and religious historian.
- Doug Trevarthen: American politician and public policy researcher.
- Jessica Trevarthen: British mathematician and research scientist.
- Graham Trevarthen: British author and biographer.
- Des Trevarthen: Australian cricketer.
- Ben Trevarthen: British triathlete.
- Gillian Trevarthen: British biologist, ethologist, and psychologist.