Cardigan

According to Nicholas, Cardigan is a compressed form of the ancient Welsh name Ceredigion, so called after Ceredig or Caredig, a legendary king.  After the Statutes of Rhuddlan [Edward I days], it became the English designation of this area of Wales.

Thomas Jones was the first to appear in the legal records of Cardiganshire 1558.  The plaintiff was John ap Rice ap Powell, and the reason for the suit was a messuage (land and its content) called Tyre dan Yrattgahe alias "Trye evan back". [bundle 99/ No. 40]  This records again shows the transition between the Welsh naming system "John ap Rice ap Powell" to "Thomas Jones". In the Welsh system of naming this would be "Thomas ap John ap Rice ap Powell".

Well say hello to Thomas Jones of Cardigan...the first to greet the pages of English documents in this county of Wales.

The history of Cardigan can be found in Nicholas, Vol. I, pp.123-189.

The Final Two Places After 1558

The appearance of the JONES surname in Wales before 1600 is finally completed with Cardigan and Pembroke counties.  All counties in Wales have the occurrence of an individual with the surname JONES except Anglesey. [Isle of Mon.]

In the black angled strips:

For Cardigan is Thomas Jones [99/40] 1558-1579.

For Pembroke is Owen Jones [242/66] 1558-1603.

It would seem that the JONES surnames moves essentially east to west, with Pembroke being the last county to have an individual JONES get involved in the English legal system.  Anglesey held out!  It would be interesting to investigate this further.  At least if you had an ancestor from Wales before 1600 [with the surname JONES] you might be able to begin your genealogical investigation.  Anglesey would be least likely to have a JONES family.