Tremblay - Nom du défunt

This interesting name, recorded in Fifeshire, Scotland from the middle of the 13th Century, derives from the Olde French "tremblaie" meaning "a place planted with aspens" and was originally given as a topographical name to one residing in or by such a place. One, Robert de Tremblay, recorded in "The Cartulary of St. Andrew's priory", (1281), witnessed a charter of lands in Fife by Sir Alexander de Moray and a Robert de Trembleye of Elgin en Morever rendered homage to John Balliol in 1296. An interesting variant on the name appears in the record of one John de Trumbeley who witnessed the lease of a croft in Glesbany (1321). A further variant occurs in "The Great Seal of Scotland", dated 1363, which records the confirmation of a charter of lands by David II of Inverdovat, Fife, formerly held by the deceased Robert Trymblay. In the "Modern" idiom, the name is also spelt Trambley and Trembly. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter de Trembley who occupied the lands of Delany in the Mearns, which was dated 1263 - "The Chamberlain's Rolls", during the reign of King Alexander III of Scotland, 1249 - 1286. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.