Brecon

There is some discussion as to the origin of the name Brecon.  One belief is that a Welsh chieftain named Brychan, who came from Ireland, name the area.  The term wg, or og , was used to signify a region, or county.  Thus Brychein-wg became the country of Brychan.

Roger Jones is the first of this surname to be found in the legal records.

His case is dated 1547 - 1551 [Bundle 1238/ No. 45-46 ].  It deals with the "messuage" in Llywel (Thwewell).  Interestingly, it list Roger Jones as the son of Roger Evans who in the English is called Jones.   Here is clear documentation that Roger Evans [Ievan] had a son Roger Jones.  The case is against John Gefrey and Margaret verch [daughter] of Thomas ap Rosser who was the wife of John Gefrey.  Here the term "verch" is the Welsh word for daughter.

Say hello to Roger Jones who's father is Roger Evans.

The history of Brecon [Breconshire, Brecknock] can be found in Nicholas, Annals and Antiquities of The Counties and County Families of Wales, pp. 53 - 122.

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.

Radnor

The name "redenor" is first mentioned in the Annales Cambriae around 1196 AD when the "Lord Rhys" burned things down.  In the Welsh it was known a Maes-hyfed and Maes-hyfaidd which implies the place where a summer-like fair was held.  I guess that is why one from another area wanted to burn things to the ground.

William Jones appears in the legal records between 1547 - 1553. [Bundle 14/No. 96]  He seems to continue his legal activity through 1579 appearing often in debt during this time.  The spelling Jevan appears as early as 1538 [Bundle 1015/No. 76] such as "Jevan ap Mezzer" of Woebley.  The "seizure of goods and occupation of mortgaged lands..." was the cause of several legal actions.  This again shows the transition between implementation [Act of Union 1536], and the reality of new laws upon the land.

A discussion of Radnorshire can be found in Nicholas, Vol. II, p. 912 - 927.

Montgomery

It was during the year of the conquest of England [1066] that a fellow named Roger de Montgomgery was created Earl of Shrewsbury and Arundel.  It was in the French, English, and Latin languages that this area became know by his name, Montgomery.  It was of course still part of the ancient Welsh Powys, but you know, to the victors go the history books.

The first JONES I could find was Lewis Jones. 

In Nicholas, p. 812, he is listed as "Lewis Jones, Esq. [ or ap John, son of John = John's ]  Nicholas goes on to state "Of him little is known."  He seems to have had some Tudor connections for he is found as "High Sheriff " 1542, 1545, and again in 1558.

The English legal records list a "Richard Joones" [1547-1551] dealing with land in Llanfechan at the bequest of Griffith Jones. [Bundle 1238/ no. 56-60 ].  During this transition period the Norman spelling "Jevan"
is frequently used as in "Edward ap Jevan" and "David ap Jevan".  It would seem that the spelling "Jones" was established consistently by 1558.

Merioneth

Merion, who from Welsh ancestry, was of lineal descent from Cunedda. He is credited with saving north Wales from the Irish after the fall of Rome, thus giving his name to this ancient territorial designation.  Thus, "Meirionydd" was the district over which he ruled.

The first with the surname JONES recorded in the English legal records for this area was William Jones, 1547 - 1551. [Bundle 1238/ No. 50]  He his described as "an infant by Edward Pery his guardian".  In this record, the reasons for the suit had to do with "messuages" [land] in "Llandecwyn" which was owned by Humphrey Jones, "father of complainant".  Therefore, William Jones is listed by case in the records, but Humphrey Jones would have to be alive in the area before this time.  "John ap Evan ap Rice" and "Rice ap Jevan" were listed as "Plantiff(s)".  This again shows how the English records related to the surname JONES and the name John/Jevan.

 A map is shown of Merioneth, and its general geographic location in Wales.

 A detailed discussion of Merionethshire and its history can be found in Annals and Antiquities of The Counties and County Families of Wales, by Nicholas, Vol. II, pp. 649-714.

Flint

Edward I continued to slice and dice the ancient comots of Wales under the Statute of Rhuddlan 1283.  The ancient region know as Tegaingl was to become Flintshire.  Ironically, the very town of Rhuddland is in this county where the very statue was signed in 1283.

The first JONES recorded in the English legal records was Edward Jones, 1544. [Bundle 1135/No. 30]
His suit was against  "Edward Puelston, esq., son and heir of Roger Puelston, knt."  Both these folks ended up being connected to my own JONES family tree.  Various geographic locations such as "Mastyn" [Mostyn], "Basingwerk"[ Basingwerk Abby], Pengwern, and Holywell were play a role in my JONES family history.  Several of these locations are shown in the figure below in the context of of northeast Wales.

The geographic relationships between Chester, Wrexham, Llangollen, and St.Asaph are shown.  It was in this area that my JONES family took its roots.

Denbigh

The first English document using the name "Denbigh" is found 24 October, 1282, under Edward I. [Calendar of Patent Rolls, Vol. 2, p.38-39 ]  Before this time, it seems to have been referred to a "Perfedd-wlad" meaning the interior land.  There were four "cantrefs" which could be viewed as our counties of today.  These were 1) Rhos, 2) Rhyfoniog, 3) Ystard, and 4) Dyffryn.  These cantrefs were to play an important role in my own JONES surname family tree.

The first JONES (spelled Johnes) was Robert Johnes, listed as "vicar of Llanvau" [ Llan-fairdyffryn-clwyd] in the records of 1553 - 1555. [bundle 1363/no.55-56]  A John Jevans (1538), and a  Jeavan ap Griffith ap David ap Tuder (1544) appear before Robert, which show how the spellings were being listed.

Interestingly, it is recorded that "Thomas ap Jevan ap David ap Blethyn, alias Thomas Jones" is clearly listed [bundle 1363/ no. 62] during the same time period 1553 - 1555.  This shows the transition from the Welsh naming system to the English surname system. 

It is my own JONES family that has its earliest bridge from the Welsh to the English naming system during this transition period, and from this geographic area.  What a deal!