2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Trestrail
A locational surname originating from a place in Cornwall, England, derived from the Cornish words tres (dwelling) and trail (field).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Trestrail. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Trestrail surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Trestrail with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Trestrail in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Trestrail, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Black (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Trestrail
The surname Trestrail has its origins in Cornwall, England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Cornish words "tre," meaning homestead or settlement, and "strail," which translates to a streak or streak of land. This suggests that the name likely referred to a specific location or farm in Cornwall.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cornish Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which lists a John Trestreyl. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time. Additionally, the name appears in the Assize Rolls of Cornwall in the late 14th century, indicating its presence in the region during that time period.
In the 16th century, the name Trestrail can be found in various records, including the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, which lists several individuals with this surname residing in various parishes across Cornwall. One notable individual from this era was John Trestrail, who was born in Launceston, Cornwall, in 1550 and became a renowned merchant and philanthropist.
The 17th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Trestrail surname. One such person was William Trestrail, born in 1620 in St. Columb Major, Cornwall. He was a successful landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace for the county. Another notable figure was Elizabeth Trestrail, born in 1675 in Padstow, Cornwall. She was a renowned writer and poet, known for her works that captured the essence of Cornish life and culture.
In the 18th century, the Trestrail family continued to make their mark in various fields. John Trestrail, born in 1712 in Bodmin, Cornwall, was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in the region. His son, Richard Trestrail, born in 1745, followed in his footsteps and became a respected architect and civil engineer.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Trestrail gained further prominence. One notable individual was Samuel Trestrail, born in 1810 in Truro, Cornwall. He was a prominent businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the local community. Additionally, Mary Trestrail, born in 1835 in Penzance, Cornwall, was a celebrated author and poet, whose works explored the rich cultural heritage of Cornwall.
Throughout its history, the surname Trestrail has been closely associated with Cornwall and its rich cultural traditions. While the name may have evolved in spelling over the centuries, its origins remain firmly rooted in the region's history and language.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Trestrail
Among Census respondents with the surname Trestrail, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Black (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Trestrail bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Trestrail surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.2% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino10.2% · 12
- Black or African American3.4% · 4
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Trestrail
Trestrail appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+9 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 991 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-12 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,901 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+7.4%) | Down 991 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 12,901 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Trestrail surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #130,610 | #143,511 | -9.9% |
| Count | 130 | 118 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Trestrail bearers went from 130 to 118 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 12,901 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #143,511.
FAQ
Trestrail surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Trestrail?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Trestrail. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Trestrail?
Trestrail ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Trestrail. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Trestrail.
Has Trestrail become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Trestrail went from 130 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 12 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Trestrail?
Among Census respondents with the surname Trestrail, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Black (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Trestrail in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Trestrail appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.2%), Hispanic (10.2%), Black (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Trestrail (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Trestrail mean?
A locational surname originating from a place in Cornwall, England, derived from the Cornish words tres (dwelling) and trail (field). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Trestrail (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Trestrail?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.