Treschow
Encyclopedia
Treschow is the name of a Danish and Norwegian family, the name of which is derived from the profession of its ancestor, "wooden shoe maker".
A member of the family, Michael Treschow, was in 1812 ennobled by letters patent, wherefore this branch of the family became a part of the untitled nobility of Denmark
and Norway
; however, the concept of nobility is no longer officially recognized in Norway, following the adoption of the 1821 Nobility Law. Members of this family have been merchants and landowners, notably in Vestfold
. The family is not known to be related to a different Treschow family
living in Norway. The family is also unrelated to the noble German Tresckow
family; however, the family adopted a coat of arms
based on the coat of arms of the German family in the 19th century
. The name Treschow is used also by some persons who are not patrilineal descendants of the family and thus not members of the family that was considered as noble.
. His son was Rasmus Nielsen Træskomager († 1633). He and many of his descendants were merchants. His son Giort Rasmussen Treschow (ca. 1623–1665) was a shipowner and a merchant.
The family came to Norway with Giort Treschow's sons Gerhard Treschow (ca. 1659–1719), an industrialist who ran a shipping company, a sawmill and a papermill in Oslo
, and Herman Treschow (1665–1723), who was his brother's general manager in Trondheim
. Herman Treschow was the grandfather of Michael Treschow (1741–1816), who was district governor in Roskilde
.
, thus becoming part of the untitled nobility. By the provisions of the patent, the patrilineal descendants of Michael Treschow, including unmarried females, were considered noble. However, as most of the family members were Norwegian subjects, persons born after the 1821 Nobility Law were not considered as noble in Norway. The family's most prominent living member, Mille-Marie Treschow
, would have forfeitet her noble status by marrying a commoner if official nobility still had existed. Also her children bear the surname Treschow, but would not have been considered as noble according to the letters patent, as noble status is inherited only patrilineally. The agnatic descendants of Michael Treschow are nevertheless included in the Yearbook of the Danish Nobility
, which is published by a private organisation.
, referring to the occupation of their ancestor (Nissen and Aaase, p. 143).
In the 19th century
, Michael Treschow for himself and his descendants adopted a coat of arms which is nearly identical to that of the German Uradel
family of Tresckow
. The Norwegian Træskomager/Treschow family is unrelated to the noble German family, and the name has a completely different etymology
. Some other Norwegian families are known to have adopted coats of arms (or variations thereof) of unrelated families with similar names.
Description: On silver background three (two over one) black jackdaw heads with a golden collar each. On the helm a noble coronet. Above the coronet a black jackdaw head with a golden collar, and on the top three peacock feathers.
The new coat of arms includes the motto Pie Candide Constanter.
A member of the family, Michael Treschow, was in 1812 ennobled by letters patent, wherefore this branch of the family became a part of the untitled nobility of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
; however, the concept of nobility is no longer officially recognized in Norway, following the adoption of the 1821 Nobility Law. Members of this family have been merchants and landowners, notably in Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
. The family is not known to be related to a different Treschow family
Treschow (Norwegian family)
Treschow is a Norwegian family descended from Just Hermansen Treschow, a merchant in Moss. This family is not known to be related to a different Treschow family in Norway. Its most famous member was philosopher and politician Niels Treschow , the grandson of Just Hermansen Treschow and son of...
living in Norway. The family is also unrelated to the noble German Tresckow
Tresckow
Tresckow is a German family originally from Mark Brandenburg, belonging to the Uradel of Ruppiner Land, i.e. the nobility dating back to the Middle Ages. A cadet branch is known as Treskow....
family; however, the family adopted a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
based on the coat of arms of the German family in the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
. The name Treschow is used also by some persons who are not patrilineal descendants of the family and thus not members of the family that was considered as noble.
Origin
The family may be followed back to Niels Hansen († 1593), who lived in Næstved, DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. His son was Rasmus Nielsen Træskomager († 1633). He and many of his descendants were merchants. His son Giort Rasmussen Treschow (ca. 1623–1665) was a shipowner and a merchant.
The family came to Norway with Giort Treschow's sons Gerhard Treschow (ca. 1659–1719), an industrialist who ran a shipping company, a sawmill and a papermill in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and Herman Treschow (1665–1723), who was his brother's general manager in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. Herman Treschow was the grandfather of Michael Treschow (1741–1816), who was district governor in Roskilde
Roskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
.
1812 ennoblement
Michael Treschow, son of parish priest Herman Treschow in Søllerød, Denmark, was in 1812 ennobled by letters patentLetters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
, thus becoming part of the untitled nobility. By the provisions of the patent, the patrilineal descendants of Michael Treschow, including unmarried females, were considered noble. However, as most of the family members were Norwegian subjects, persons born after the 1821 Nobility Law were not considered as noble in Norway. The family's most prominent living member, Mille-Marie Treschow
Mille-Marie Treschow
Mille-Marie Treschow is a Norwegian woman described by the yellow press as "Norway's richest woman", although she's actually only the 5th richest according to Kapital. She is the owner of the family consortium, Treschow Fritzøe....
, would have forfeitet her noble status by marrying a commoner if official nobility still had existed. Also her children bear the surname Treschow, but would not have been considered as noble according to the letters patent, as noble status is inherited only patrilineally. The agnatic descendants of Michael Treschow are nevertheless included in the Yearbook of the Danish Nobility
Danmarks Adels Aarbog
Danmarks Adels Aarbog is an annual publication that details the genealogies, titles, and coats of arms of Danish and Norwegian noble families. It was first published in 1884, making it one of the oldest such publications...
, which is published by a private organisation.
Name
The family's name, Treschow (modern orthography: tresko, i.e. wooden shoe) is a shorter/corrupted variant of the older name Træskomager (i.e. wooden shoe-maker), referring to the occupation of the family's ancestor.Coats of arms
Family members previously used various arms, including one with a clogClog (shoe)
A clog is a type of footwear made in part or completely from wood.The Oxford English Dictionary defines a clog as a "thick piece of wood", and later as a "wooden soled overshoe" and a "shoe with a thick wooden sole"....
, referring to the occupation of their ancestor (Nissen and Aaase, p. 143).
In the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
, Michael Treschow for himself and his descendants adopted a coat of arms which is nearly identical to that of the German Uradel
Uradel
The German and Scandinavian term Uradel refers to nobility who can trace back their noble ancestry at least to the year 1400 and probably originates from leadership positions during the Migration Period.-Divisions of German nobility:Uradel : Nobility that originates from leadership positions held...
family of Tresckow
Tresckow
Tresckow is a German family originally from Mark Brandenburg, belonging to the Uradel of Ruppiner Land, i.e. the nobility dating back to the Middle Ages. A cadet branch is known as Treskow....
. The Norwegian Træskomager/Treschow family is unrelated to the noble German family, and the name has a completely different etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
. Some other Norwegian families are known to have adopted coats of arms (or variations thereof) of unrelated families with similar names.
Description: On silver background three (two over one) black jackdaw heads with a golden collar each. On the helm a noble coronet. Above the coronet a black jackdaw head with a golden collar, and on the top three peacock feathers.
The new coat of arms includes the motto Pie Candide Constanter.
Members
- Michael Treschow (1741–1816), progenitor
- Michael TreschowMichael TreschowMichael Treschow is a Swedish businessman. As chairman of the board of both Unilever and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, and former chairman of Ericsson, Treschow is one of the most influential people in Swedish business today...
(born 1943), Swedish businessman - Mille-Marie TreschowMille-Marie TreschowMille-Marie Treschow is a Norwegian woman described by the yellow press as "Norway's richest woman", although she's actually only the 5th richest according to Kapital. She is the owner of the family consortium, Treschow Fritzøe....
(born 1954), owner of the Norwegian consortium Treschow-Fritzøe
Literature and sources
- Dansk biografisk lexikon: Treschow
- Dansk biografisk lexikon: Gerhard Treschow
- Dansk biografisk lexikon: Michael Treschow