NameCensus.

UK surname

Trewhella

An English surname derived from a Cornish place name meaning a dwelling by a slope or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 212 people recorded with the Trewhella surname, ranking it #12,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 210, ranked #18,965, down from #12,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Uny Lelant, Sennen and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trewhella is 213 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.9%.

1881 census count

212

Ranked #12,373

Modern count

210

2016, ranked #18,965

Peak year

2010

213 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trewhella had 212 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016, ranked #18,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 212 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Trewhella surname distribution map

The map shows where the Trewhella surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Trewhella surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Trewhella over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 167 #11,936
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 212 #12,373
1891 historical 175 #16,467
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 170 #20,153
2000 modern 190 #18,806
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 199 #18,350
2003 modern 203 #17,967
2004 modern 200 #18,213
2005 modern 196 #18,404
2006 modern 201 #18,226
2007 modern 204 #18,251
2008 modern 210 #18,052
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 212 #18,842
2016 modern 210 #18,965

Geography

Back to top

Where Trewhellas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Uny Lelant, Sennen, Illogan, Towednack and Crowan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Uny Lelant Cornwall
2 Sennen Cornwall
3 Illogan Cornwall
4 Towednack Cornwall
5 Crowan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 058 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 061 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 066 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 068 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 049 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Trewhella

These lists show first names that appear often with the Trewhella surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Trewhella

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trewhella, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Trewhella surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Trewhella household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Trewhella is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Trewhella is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Trewhella falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trewhella is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Trewhella, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Trewhella

The surname Trewhella is of Cornish origin, derived from the place name Trewhela, meaning "town on a hill" in the Cornish language. It is believed to have originated in the early medieval period, around the 6th to 9th centuries, when the Cornish language was widely spoken in Cornwall, England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Trewhella can be found in the Assize Rolls of Cornwall, a legal document dating back to the 13th century. In these rolls, the name appears as "de Trewhela," indicating its connection to the place name.

The Cornish region has a long history of mining and metalworking, which may have played a role in the spread and establishment of the Trewhella surname. It is possible that some early bearers of the name were involved in these industries, as mining and metalworking were significant economic activities in Cornwall during the medieval and early modern periods.

Notably, the Trewhella surname appears in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a document that recorded those who took an oath of allegiance to the Protestant religion and the Crown during the English Civil War. This suggests that the name was well-established in Cornwall by the mid-17th century.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Trewhella surname was John Trewhella, born in 1630 in St. Erth, Cornwall. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a churchwarden at St. Erth Church.

In the 18th century, Richard Trewhella (1734-1813) was a successful merchant and trader based in Falmouth, Cornwall. He was involved in the export of Cornish goods, particularly tin and copper, to various parts of the world.

Another notable bearer of the Trewhella surname was John Trewhella (1808-1885), a Cornish mining engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing improvements in mining machinery and techniques, which contributed to the advancement of the industry in Cornwall and beyond.

The Trewhella surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the arts and literature. One example is Henry Trewhella (1911-1989), a British artist and illustrator known for his works depicting the Cornish landscape and way of life.

In the 20th century, Edith Trewhella (1922-2002) was a Cornish writer and poet who celebrated the culture and traditions of her homeland through her literary works.

Throughout its history, the Trewhella surname has maintained a strong connection to its Cornish roots and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, ranging from miners and merchants to artists and writers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Trewhella families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trewhella surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 201 Trewhellas recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.06x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 201 85.06x
Devon 6 1.38x
Middlesex 3 0.14x
Hampshire 2 0.47x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 4.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Madron in Cornwall leads with 24 Trewhellas recorded in 1881 and an index of 1256.54x.

Place Total Index
Madron 24 1256.54x
Crowan 16 855.62x
Towednack 16 3478.26x
Sennen 13 2500.00x
St Erth 13 909.09x
Uny Lelant 13 1015.63x
Illogan 12 191.69x
Gwinear 10 892.86x
Ludgvan 10 531.91x
St Ives 10 216.45x
Madron Penzance 9 104.77x
Redruth 9 134.73x
Kenwyn 8 129.45x
St Hilary 7 1014.49x
Phillack 6 196.72x
St Buryan 6 612.24x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 14.94x
Mawgan In Meneage 4 645.16x
Breage 3 138.89x
Gulval 3 197.37x
Paul 3 69.93x
Kensington London 2 1.72x
Shanklin 2 157.48x
Bodmin 1 25.58x
Clifton 1 4.83x
Royal Navy 1 4.70x
Saltash 1 54.64x
St Clement 1 40.49x
St George Bloomsbury 1 8.35x
St Hilary Marazion 1 156.25x
St Pinnock 1 277.78x
St Winnow 1 123.46x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.29x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Trewhella surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 14
Mary 13
Jane 8
Ann 5
Annie 5
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Martha 4
Caroline 3
Grace 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Cathrine 1
Clarenda 1
Constance 1
E.J. 1
Elezebeth 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Georginna 1
H.J. 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Janey 1
Jemima 1
Joanna 1
Joshephine 1
Lilly 1
Loveday 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Nanny 1
Norah 1
Patience 1
Phillippa 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Trewhella surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 23
John 19
James 6
Martin 5
Matthew 5
Richard 5
Mathew 4
Charles 3
Henry 3
Christopher 2
George 2
Harry 2
Thomas 2
Adolphas 1
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
Augustus 1
Benjamin 1
Edmund 1
Geo.J. 1
Harbut 1
Hedley 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Philippa 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
W.B. 1
W.T. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Trewhella surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trewhella surname in 1881?

In 1881, 212 people were recorded with the Trewhella surname. That placed it at #12,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trewhella surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016. That gives Trewhella a modern rank of #18,965.

What does the Trewhella surname mean?

An English surname derived from a Cornish place name meaning a dwelling by a slope or ridge.

What does the Trewhella map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Trewhella bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.