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Subject: Re: [CON] Kemyel CREASE query
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2002 23:15:40 EST


Hi Lindley,

CREASE is not a surname I am familiar with, I know CRAZE, CRASE & CRAISE
which are variants of each other. Do you know if CREASE is a variant of these
names. I should like to add the name to the Cornish Surnames website. If it
is a distinct surname perhaps it denoted middle.

As for the field or farm Crease, there are many such names in West Penwith,
variously spelled at one time or another, Crease, Cres, Crease, Crase, Creas,
Crese, Creasse, Creis, Creiz, Crees, Grease, Graze, & Craise. Usually
preceded by Parke, or Park which is a common Cornish word for field. Park
Crease, would denote the middle field.

Kemyel was Chemiel in 1185, Kemyel in 1250, Kemiel in 1270, Kymyel in 1297,
Kymiel in 1361. It is derived from ke meaning hedge, and Myghal meaning
Michael. Kemyel Crease means middle, and the two other farms in the area with
names Keymel Nessa, nessa means nearer, and Kemyel Pella, pella means
further. I suspect that it could be from kew meaning hedged or enclosed field
and Myghal. Therefor meaning Michael's enclosed field.

Hope this helps a little bit.

> Many years ago (1972) I took a Cornish coast walk from, I
> think, Penzance to Lands End. In the middle of a very hot
> afternoon somewhere near Mousehole, I passed a place I
> remembered as CREASE Farm. It was an absolutely beautiful
> place, view, etc. But looked deserted. I thought WOW, my
> family name. And then I kept walking. Silly me. I was too
> shy to walk down the path to the house and inquire of the
> residents, if any. Then I put it away in my memory banks for
> 30 years.
>
> I always wondered first of all whether I'd dreamed it, and
> then whether it had any connection with my family. Recently
> I came across a website which referred to "Cornwall Wildlife
> Trust Reserve of Kemyel Crease". (Aside - does Kemyel mean
> "farm" in Cornish??)

Jim

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