Glamorgan

The last county in Wales to be listed is the first (earliest) county in Wales to show the surname JONES.  Of course, it had to be "John Jones"...:-).  It is the county of Glamorgan.

John Jones was identified as the "son & exec." of Jankyn ap John [1515 - 1518] (bundle 421/ no. 72).  The case had to do with the lease of "...1/2 the mills of Cardiff held by the s'd Jankyn of John Howell, baker".

Now Tacitus was the first to describe these folks in his "The Life of Agricola".  He writes:

"The dark complexion of the Silures, their usually curly hair, and the fact that Spain is the opposite shore to them, are an evidence that Iberians of a former date crossed over and occupied these parts."
These Romans were to take control of this area by 84 AD. 

It would seem that the legal system of England had already established its influence well before the Act of Union" 1536.

Well, say hello to John Jones, the first to take this surname in Wales.

The history of Glamorganshire can be found in Nicholas, Vol. I, pp. 458 - Vol.II - 648.  The reference to Tacitus can be found in "The Historians of Ancient Rome", ed. Ronald Mellor, p.399.

JONES Monmouth and Carnarvon 1538-1544

The JONES surname expands to Monmouth and Carnarvon beginning 1538.  Sampson Jones is the first to be recorded in the Carnarvon  legal records 1538-1544. [1016/49]  Now remember, these were English records being established in Welsh counties. 

A Hugh Jones appears in the same set of legal records [1016/59 ] for Monmouth 1538-1544.  This would be just after the Act of Union 1536, and probably represents the earliest application of this new English system to the Welsh.

The map above shows the location of Carnarvon in the north, and Monmouth in the south of Wales. [pink]  Monmouth being the adjacent county to Glamorgan [blue] which recorded the first JONES surname in Wales.  Interestingly, Carnarvon is the first county in the north to record a JONES surname.  This county was a strategic location to control the Welsh in north Wales.  Any other thoughts regarding this set of facts, please post.

From: Lists and Indexes, No. LI., List of Early Chancery Proceedings, Vol. III., Public Record Office.  The numbers [1016/59] records the file no., followed by folio (page) number of the case.  Research by The Jones Genealogist, and published in previous issues.

JONES Glamorgan 1515

The JONES surname appears in Wales over a period of some 100 years.  Of course, the surname starts its course in English records, not Welsh records. [Records written in English, not Welsh!]

The English legal records of Wales begin 1273, under the rule of Edward I.  As Wales became "more and more" under English control, the system of English surnames became the norm.  Their appearance in the county (legal) records give indirectly a history of this phenomena.  South Wales seems to start the JONES surname.  This most likely reflects the fact that South Wales came under control of Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman control much easier (geographically) than other parts of this western land.

Glamorgan is the first Welsh county to show a JONES surname.  In the legal records 1515-1518, the name John Jones appears.  [File 421/ folio 72]  The map to the right shows the location of this Welsh county in relationship to the other Welsh counties since the Act of Union 1536.  Of course it had to be a John Jones.   Glamorgan was also the first county to have a JONES surname appear in 1496.

The next several post will show the chronology of the appearance of the JONES surname for Wales from around 1500 - 1700.   South Wales begins the story.