Treweke

Recorded as Treweek, Treweeke, Trewecke, Treweke, Trewicke, and probably others, this is an early and quite popular Cornish surname. It is residential and originates from "Tre -gwyk" which we understand was the now lost hamlet of Treweeg in Stithians. The name translates as the house in the wood, and it is hardly surprising that it has now disappeared, as sadly so have most of Cornwall's woods. Locational surnames are usually "from" names, or surnames given to people after they left a particular place or area, and moved somewhere else. In Cornwall the opposite applies, locational names are or were given to those who stayed! In consequence as in the north of Scotland where the same principle was used, most people upto the middle of the 20th century had localised nicknames to distinguish them. This surname however is not entirely localised and is found in some numbers throughout the county. Examples of recordings include John Trewicke of Saint Erthy, on January 10th 1595, Hugh Treweek at Camborne of March 10th 1613, and Nivcholas Treweke at Jacobstow on August 9th 1665.