The surname Traill (also Trail, Traille, Traillie, Traily, etc.) Is derived from Norse to at least Norman via France (is not of French 'origin', 'origin' is the wrong word to use here, the first written records of it come from France via Normandy, its origin is Norse via Normandy at least), it does also seem to have some relation to words from the northern UK, pointing again to where it is derived from. It became "Traill" in Scotland (show any 'modern' non Scottish spread) and thence spread around the world.
The family is recorded in France from the 10th century, as Barons in Britain from the 11th century, as
Lairds in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
from the 14th century and later in
Orkney
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
.
In the 17th century they were prominent in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
and also spread to various parts of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
including the
Cajun community.
Other branches of the family settled in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
in the 19th century, and in the
British Colonies.
France
The name is French.
Goidfrid de Traillie came to England and held land in
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
and on the Scottish border, both under
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
.
The Traills held land at
Trelly
Trelly () is a former Communes of France, commune in the Manche Departments of France, department in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the commune Quettreville-sur-Sienne. in France and later in
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
. Before 1391, Sir John Trailly was appointed Mayor of Bordeaux. Some Traills still reside in France.
The similarity to the name
Tyrell raises the question whether the families are related, but the Tyrell family are descended from the family of the
Count de Poix, of which the senior branch remained in France in the area known as
Picardy
Picardy (; Picard and french: Picardie, , ) is a historical territory and a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region of Hauts-de-France. It is located in the northern part of France.
Hi ...
. There is no known relationship between the two families in England: the Tyrells held land in the South in
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
and
Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
, coordinates =
, region = South West England
, established_date = Ancient
, established_by =
, preceded_by =
, origin =
, lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
, lord_ ...
, unlike Goidfrid de Trailli (see above).
Scotland
The family started to leave England for Scotland and France after the death of Sir John Treyl in 1360, although his son John did return for periods and served as a member of the
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England (which incorporated Wales) from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of ...
. A few years before this Sir John's death in 1401, his son Reginald returned from Bordeaux and had sold up the English estates by his own death in 1404. Earlier in approximately 1385, Sir John's brother,
Walter Treyl, Bishop of
St Andrews
St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fou ...
, bought Blebo from the Church and later willed it to his nephew, Thomas.
William Dunbar in his ''
Lament for the Makaris'' writes "He hes
Blind Harry and Sandy Traill / Slaine with his schour of mortall haill / Whilk
Patrik Johnestoun
"I that in Heill wes and Gladnes", also known as "The Lament for the Makaris", is a poem in the form of a danse macabre by the Scottish poet William Dunbar. Every fourth line repeats the Latin refrain ''timor mortis conturbat me'' (fear of dea ...
myght nocht fle", citing him among a
roll call of poets chiefly from the fifteenth century, but nothing else is known of Sandy Traill and no works have been traced.
Robert Traill of Greyfriars
Robert Traill of Greyfriars was born at Denino, in 1603. He was son of Colonel James Traill, of Killcleary, Ireland, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Henry, Prince of Wales, and grandson of the Laird of Blebo, and Matilda Melvill of Carnbee. ...
was born in 1603. He was son of Colonel James Traill, of Killcleary, Ireland, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to
Henry, Prince of Wales, and grandson of the Laird of Blebo, and Matilda Melvill of Carnbee. He graduated with an M.A. from St Andrews on 21 July 1621. He later studied at the Protestant College of
Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur statio ...
. He was an English tutor in France to the sister of the
Duke of Rohan in 1628.
Blebo, a large rural property, was subdivided in 1609 by the Laird of the period, John Traill, in agreement with his eldest son in order to help his younger brother Thomas. The smaller portion became known as Blebo Hole. In the 16th century another brother of the same family, George Traill, migrated to
Orkney
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
, Scotland and thence to
Co. Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of a ...
, Ireland, now Northern Ireland.
In 1722,
lead
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
and
silver
Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...
were discovered on the Blebo property. The area around the estate (Blebo Hole) is currently known as the community of
Blebo Craigs
Blebo Craigs, or Blebocraigs is a village in rural Fife, Scotland. The village contains around one hundred houses on the south-facing slope of the hill. Blebo Craigs is 5 miles from St Andrews.
Geography
Most of the village lies on a sunny so ...
. In Central
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
, Blebo lies three miles (five km) east of
Cupar and comprises the village of Blebo Craigs, located a quarter-mile (0.4 km) northeast of Blebo House, together with the farms of Milton of Blebo, Blebo Mains, and Newbigging of Blebo.
Kemback
Kemback is a village and parish in Fife, Scotland, located east of Cupar. The present village was developed in the 19th century to house those working the flax mills on the nearby Ceres Burn. From 1681 the minister for the parish was Alexander Ed ...
lies a quarter-mile (0.4 km) to the northwest and
Pitscottie a half-mile (0.8 km) to the southwest.
A group of Trails came from
Birsay on
Orkney
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
including
Samuel Trail and his son
James W. H. Trail
James William Helenus Trail Royal Society of London, FRS Linnean Society, FLS (4 March 1851 – 18 September 1919) was a 20th century botanist who served as Professor of Botany at Aberdeen University from 1877 to 1919.
Life
He was born in Birsay ...
.
Thomas Stewart Traill was from
Kirkwall.
Ireland
In the 18th/19th century the Reverend Anthony Traill (1745–1852) was
Rector of
Skull
The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, the ...
and
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...
of the
Diocese of Connor
The Diocese of Connor, Territory of Dalriada, was established in the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111. The diocese itself was erected in 480. Tradition holds that St. Patrick herded sheep on Slemish, in the heart of the Diocese, when first brought ...
.
His son, the Reverend
Robert Traill (1793–1847) was also Rector of Skull during the
Great Famine and tried to alleviate the lot of the poor and to draw attention to their plight. He was also the first Irish translator of ''
The Jewish War'' of
Flavius Josephus. His story was featured on TV in
Victoria Series 2 Episode 6, which dealt with the impact on the Queen of the Famine, her correspondence and meeting with the Reverend.
In 1904
Anthony Traill (1838–1914) was appointed
provost (i.e. head) of
Trinity College, Dublin
, name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin
, motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin)
, motto_lang = la
, motto_English = It will last i ...
.
William Atcheson Traill (1844–1933) was an Irish engineer and co-founder of the
Giant's Causeway Railway and Tramway Company, opened in 1887.
United States
In the mid 17th century, Trails acquired and settled land in the
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
, in
and in
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. The Maryland area,
New Scotland Hundred, eventually became the city of
Washington DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
. The Maryland Trails also held estates in what are now
Montgomery County and
Frederick County. The name also spread to
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, and other parts of the southern United States.
The name "Traille" is recorded in the
Cajun community in the
southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
.
Later dispersion
In the 19th century the sons of
Robert Traill settled in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, where his grandson
Johnny Traill
John Arthur Edward Traill (1882–1958) was the first Irish–Argentine 10-goal polo player.
He was born in 1882. He married Henrietta Margaret, from Scotland, and they had children John and James.
Traill owned a ranch in Argentina and impo ...
became the first Irish-Argentine
10-goal A polo handicap is a system created by Henry Lloyd Herbert, the first president of the United States Polo Association, at the founding of the USPA in 1890 so teams could be more evenly matched when using players with varying abilities.
The players ...
polo
Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ...
player.
Other branches of the family settled in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.
In literature
The book ''Silver River''
by
Daisy Goodwin gives a partly fictionalised account of the fortunes of her branch of the Traill family from her great-great-great-grandfather, Rector Robert Traill of Skull during the
Great Famine of Ireland via their emigration to
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
to herself in an attempt to understand her relationship with her mother,
Jocasta Innes
Jocasta Claire Traill Innes (21 May 1934 – 20 April 2013) was a British writer, journalist and businesswoman.
Life
Innes was born in Nanjing, China, the eldest of three daughters born to Paul Joseph Anthony Innes, a Shell Oil Company, S ...
.
People with the surname Traill
*
Anthony Traill (college provost) (1838–1914), provost of Trinity College Dublin
*
Anthony Traill (linguist) (1939–2007), South African linguist
*
Anthony Traill (college provost) (1838–1914), provost of Trinity College Dublin
*
Anthony Traill (priest) (1755–1831), rector of Skull and Archdeacon of Connor
*
Barry Traill (fl. 2000s), Australian zoologist and conservationist
*
Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill (born Strickland; 9 January 1802 – 29 August 1899) was an English-Canadian author and naturalist who wrote about life in Canada, particularly what is now Ontario (then the colony of Upper Canada). In the 1830s, Canada ...
(1802–1899), English-Canadian author and naturalist
*
Elsie Traill (1876–1946), Australian philanthropist
*
Eric Sinclair Traill (1905–1981), British publisher and jazz critic
*
George Traill (1787–1871), Scottish politician
*
Henry Duff Traill (1842–1900), British author and journalist
*
James Traill (disambiguation), several people
**
James Traill (bishop)
James Traill DD (died 1783) was an Anglican bishop in the second half of the 18th century.
A Scot, he held incumbencies at Horsleydown and West Ham. He was Chaplain to Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-C ...
, Anglican bishop
**
James Traill (cricketer), English cricketer and barrister
**
James Hamilton Traill, Australian flying ace
*
Jessie Traill
Jessie Constance Alicia Traill (29 July 1881 – 15 May 1967) was an Australian printmaker. Trained by Frederick McCubbin at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, and by painter and printmaker Frank Brangwyn in London, Traill worked in ...
(1881–1967), Australian print maker
*
John Traill
John Traill (11 January 1835 – 8 June 1897) was the owner of Traill's Temperance Coffee House which was regularly visited by Greyfriars Bobby.
Early and personal life
Traill was born in 1835 in Dunfermline and was the son of a weaver. He a ...
(1835–1897), Scottish coffee house owner
*
Johnny Traill
John Arthur Edward Traill (1882–1958) was the first Irish–Argentine 10-goal polo player.
He was born in 1882. He married Henrietta Margaret, from Scotland, and they had children John and James.
Traill owned a ranch in Argentina and impo ...
(1882–1958), Irish-Argentine polo player
*
John Christie (headmaster)
John Traill Christie (18 October 1899 – 8 September 1980) was headmaster of Repton School (1932–37) and Westminster School (1937–50), before becoming Principal of Jesus College, Oxford (1949–67).
Christie married Lucie Cath ...
(1899–1980), British teacher
*
Ken Traill
Kenneth Traill (7 September 1926 – 25 March 2002) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England a ...
(1926–2002), English Rugby League footballer
*
Peter Traill, pen name of Guy Mainwaring Morton (1896–1968)
*
Phil Traill
Phil Traill (born June 6, 1973) is a British television and film director. Although born in New Jersey, Phil was brought up in London, England.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
1973 births
British film dire ...
(born 1973), British television and film director
*
Robert Traill (Irish clergyman)
Robert Traill or Trail (1793–1847) was a clergyman in the Calvinistic-oriented Established Church of Ireland. He was rector of Schull, County Cork from 1832 until his death and part-owned a copper mine in the area. Traill complained of losi ...
(1793-1847)
*
Robert Traill of Greyfriars
Robert Traill of Greyfriars was born at Denino, in 1603. He was son of Colonel James Traill, of Killcleary, Ireland, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Henry, Prince of Wales, and grandson of the Laird of Blebo, and Matilda Melvill of Carnbee. ...
(1603–1678), Scottish minister
*
Robert Traill (Scottish minister) (1642–1716), his son
*
Roy Traill (Robert Henry Traill, 1892–1989), New Zealand wildlife ranger
*
Sinclair Traill Eric Sinclair Traill (1905 – 11 January 1981) was a British publisher, chief editor, and music critic of jazz. His career began in 1946, when he launched ''Pick Up'' as a locus for serious jazz criticism in Britain. In May 1948, Traill, using hi ...
(1905–1981), British publisher and music critic
*
Thomas Traill
Air Vice Marshal Thomas Cathcart Traill, (6 August 1899 – 1 October 1973) was a senior Royal Air Force officer. He began his military career as a midshipman in the Royal Navy, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 and rose to the ran ...
(1899–1973), British World War I flying ace
*
Thomas Stewart Traill (1781–1862), Scottish physician and scholar
*
William Atcheson Traill (1844–1933), Irish engineer
*
William Henry Traill (1842–1902), Australian journalist and politician
*
William Traill (1838–1905), English cricketer
See also
*
Trail (disambiguation)
A trail is a route for travel.
Trail may also refer to:
Places
*Trail, British Columbia, Canada
* Trail, Minnesota, United States
* Trail, Oregon, United States
People with the name
* Trail (surname), e.g., the Scottish clan also known as Tra ...
*
Traill (disambiguation) Traill may refer to:
* Traill (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Traill County, North Dakota, a county in the U.S.
* Traill International School, in Bangkok, Thailand
* Traill Island, in eastern Greenland
* 'Traill', a cultiv ...
References
{{Authority control
Surnames
Fife