The town's name derives from an Old Polish word Trzemcha meaning the flower of the "Bird’s Cherry" plant, which once grew in the vicinity.

It was significant that the town lay on the trade route joining Greater Poland with northern Masovia and Pomerelia.

[2] From the second half of the 17th century, there began a decline of the town caused by the Swedish invasion of Poland (Deluge) and plagues.

An important period in town's history is due to the activity of Michał Kościesza Kosmowski, who was the monastery abbot (1761–1804).

Kosmowski founded also several buildings of public services: “Collegium Tremesnensis” a secondary school (currently Liceum Ogólnokształcące im.

Following the successful Greater Poland uprising of 1806, it was regained by Poles and included within the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw.

In 1848 Trzemeszno became one of the main centers of the Polish Greater Poland uprising against Prussia, and was the site of a battle, won by the Poles.

Opening a railway line in 1872 joining Trzemeszno with Poznań, Toruń and Inowrocław had contributed to the town's development.

[4] Soon afterwards, the Germans carried out mass arrests of local notable Poles during the genocidal Intelligenzaktion campaign.

A pre-war monument to Polish insurgents of the Greater Poland uprising was destroyed,[6][7] and schools, libraries and the church were closed.

The greatest challenge was restoration of the basilica church and secondary school which had been burned down by retreating German troops.

The largest enterprise, employing over 1,000 people, was Pomorskie Zakłady Materiałów Izolacyjnych “Izopol” (factory producing insulation materials).