Genetic Bowel of Spaghetti

A basic assumption doing genealogy is that your family has a common root. There is an "Adam" from which the family grew. From this ancestor "Adam" the generations begin, and the family tree grows generation after generation. This implies that if you share a common surname, then you are descended from this "Adam". Readjusting ones thinking is necessary when dealing with Welsh surname such as JONES.

An act under Henry VIII entitled; "An act for laws and justice to be ministered in Wales in like form as it is in this realm." St. 27 Hen. VIII, c. 26 1535" (Stat. Realm, III. 563) states:

"...and that all and singular person and persons, born or to be born in the said principality country or dominion of Wales shall have enjoy and inherit all and singular freedoms liberties and rights privileges and laws within this his realm, and other the king's dominions, as other the king's subjects naturally born within the same have, enjoy and inherit."

It also goes own to state that the courts were to be held in English. Furthermore, it declares,

"...also that from henceforth no person or persons that use the Welsh speech or language shall have or enjoy any manner office or fees within this realm of England, Wales, or other the King's dominions upon pain of forfeiting the same offices or fees unless he or they use and exercise the English speech or language."

This in effect outlawed the Welsh language in the legal system of England. Thus it was during this period of history that the Welsh were required to use English surnames.

The table above gives an example of how a Welsh family might produce several different surnames, but share a common grandfather. For example, if Thomas was the grandfather [before the Act of Union], and had four sons, Richard, Edward, John, and David. When these four sons had their own family [after the Act of Union] , they would be required to used English in the realm's courts. Thus when their children , Peter, David, Thomas, and John had to use English, they would give their name Peter ap Richard, David ap Edward, Thomas ap John, and John ap David. The English clerks would then write down, Peter Richards, David Edwards, Thomas Jones, and John David. Four different surnames, but all "1st cousins".

After a generation or two, the surnames Richards, Edward, Jones and David would seem to be of different stock. But alas , they would be genetically related whereas others given the JONES surname would not! So, many of the Welsh surnames that were produced during this "Act of Union" produced a genetic bowel of spaghetti . Bon appetit!


The reference for the Act of Union is found in: "English Historical Documents, edited b C.H. Williams, Oxford University Press, NY, 1967.

Taking the surname JONES

My JONES family line continues through Edward(JN-1) just before the family adopts the surname JONES. The family begins to marry into English families with the appearance of the surname system Margaret Wylde(JN-2), Margaret Eyton(JO-2), Jane Almer(JP-2), Margaret Puleston(JQ-2), Margaret Trevor(JR-2), and Mary Sonlli(JR-181). It was the Act of Union, under Henry VIII, that did the final job on the Welsh naming system. Families from Wales were required to take on the English legal system, and began to take on the English surname. The majority of this transition occurred between the arrival of the Welsh Tudor line (Henry VII), and its end under Elizabeth I. In the legal records of England, there were only 7 JONES in Wales for the year 1538. By the year 1558, there were 115 JONES! [Much more to be given about this transition period.]

My own Welsh family takes the surname JONES during this transition period. John(JP-1) who married Jane Almer(JP-2) has at least two sons who take the surname JONES. Robert ap John of Llwyn-onn becomes Robert Jones(JQ-1), and Richard ap John becomes Richard Jones(JQ-95). This Richard Jones(JQ-95) is the line of descent for my JONES family. His son Thomas Jones(JR-180) is the father of Richard Jones(JS-165) who is the first to leave England to reside permanently in Virginia in 1648! Another line of JONES is through David(JP-3) who had a son John(JQ-3) of Plas Cadwgan, who had a son Edward ap John, becoming Edward Jones(JR-3). This lineage has a Edward Jones(JS-3) who gives his life involved in a plot called Babington's Plot, 1586! Much, much more to come.

So from Edward(JN-1) it would be:

Robert(JO-1)

John(JP-1)

Richard(JQ-95)

Thomas(JR-180)

Richard(JS-165)....to Virginia!

In the Welsh naming system this would be:

Richard ap Thomas ap Richard ap John ap Robert ap Edward!

Sons of Cynrig

The sons of Cynrig(JF-1) continues my JONES family line. David(JG-13) and Ednyfed(JG-15) branch into other family surnames. It is Ninnian(JG-1) that become the direct lineage for my family. His third son Jeuaf(JH-1) marries into the line of Elystan Gloddydd(JF-6) and continues the connection to the eldest son of Tudor Trevor(JC-1) named Gronwy(JD-1). Iorwerth fychan(JI-1) becomes known as the first of "Llwyn-onn", which in the Welsh means "Ash Grove". The family continues to be connected to this name for many more generations to come. It would appear that a winter home was located just east of what is know as Wrexham. A summer home was located eastward into the hills around Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, just south of Ruthin. [Much more will be said about Llwyn-onn.]

The figure to the right shows the lineage from Iorweth fychan(JI-1) to Edward(JN-1). The boys in blue take center stage, and the boys in orange are cut short. [I have other graphs showing these lines.] My direct JONES lineage continues as:

Iorweth fychan(JI-1)
Gruffydd(JJ-1)
Iorwerth(JK-1)
Llewelyn(JL-1)
Howel(JM-1)
Edward(JN-1) marries Margaret Wylde(JN-2).

This makes fifteen generations from Gadforch(JA-1). Much more to come.

The Next Generations

You will begin to see why a coding and color system will be most helpful as the family tree begins to expand outward. A new chart is shown to the right, giving the lineage from Gadforch(JA-1) , but starting at the 6th generation. In Welsh genealogy, six generations makes up the cenedl, and Gadforch(JA-1) would be considered the pencenedl.

Elystan Gloddydd(JF-6) begins the lineage of Royal Tribe IV, and his sons and grandsons are shown. (the pink side)

The senior line of Tudor Trevor is taken up by Llydocka(JD-2) when his older brother has only one female descendant Rhingor(JE-3). His lineage (the orange side) through Ednyfedd(JF-4) produces four sons, with the most noted son, Rhys sais(JG-4) giving rise to three sons who become in Welsh history "sons of Rhys sais". They are credited with taking on the family's honour by seeking revenge on those who killed Cynrig(JF-1) in 1073 A.D. [The term "sais" means one who can speak Anglo-Saxon[English] and has taken on the English ways to some degree.] I suspect that the three sons of Cynrig(JF-1) were still infants when the older 1st cousins took revenge. This would have been during the first Norman invasion to the families' land following 1066! The descendants of Rhys sais(JG-4) become major players in the history of the period. It is here, that one son Tudor(JH-6), is listed in Domesday Book 1086, as "Tudor Walensis" on contested land in Shropeshire.

The baby boy Dingad(JD-3), has his descent through Cynrig(JF-1) with three sons; David(JG-13), Ninnian(JG-1), and Ednyfed(JG-15). (the boys in blue) It is through Ninnian(JG-1) that my JONES family continues its descent.



The second figure to the right shown the descent of Ednyfed(JG-15), who also had a Tydyr(JH-9). Both the names Ednyfed and Tudor(Tydyr) are frequently used among the family. You can again see why a coding and color system will be helpful in keeping everyone straight! The line of Ednyfed(JG-15) is the root of the family Broughton.

You will notice that there is often marriage between the family branches. Here, the color coding is also helpful. In my JONES family, Jeuaf(JH-1) marries Efa(JH-18) bridging the pink side with the blue side.

Whittington

The grandfather of Tudor Trevor is identified as being from Whittington. This would place Cadforch (the grandfather) at Whittington around 870 A.D. +/- twenty years. [This is using the 30 year generation calculated from previous genealogies under "Holding the Bag" Oct. 15, 2010.]

Whittington, a parish in the hundred of Oswestry, county of Salop, is located 3 miles (E.N.E.) from the town of Oswestry. A reference in "A Topographical Dictionary of England", by Samuel Lewis, [Vol.III-IV, p.461] refers to a document titled "Archaeologia". In this document it is reported that Whittington was named Drev Wen, or the White Town, by Llowarch Hen. [Llowarch Hen is believed to have been a British bard who flourished about the close of the sixth century, or around late 590 A.D. However, Meic Stephens places this name as "Canu Llywurch Hen" and states this represents a song (story) written down around the late ninth century. This reference is found in "The New Companion to the Literature of Wales", p.87.] At any rate, Whittington was clearly a settlement before the dates of Cadforch. A British chieftain (Condolanus)is reported to have been slain here in an attempt to expel some Irish invaders.

In the reference "Topographical Dictionary of England", it states:

"According to the bards, it was subsequently the property and chief residence of Tudor Trevor."

Thus, for at least three generations, Cadforch [spelled Gadforch, Kadfarch, Kadvarch) to Ynyr, to Tudor Trevor had settled Whittington.

Tudor Trevor

My first encounter with the name Tudor Trevor was in the early 1990s in a reference titled: "Annals and Antiquities of The Counties and County Families of Wales", by Thomas Nicholas. It was first published London, 1872 and reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991. It has served me well in my Welsh genealogical research particularly for my surname JONES. There are at least 32 JONES families listed in the index. The JONES surname was connected to the TREVOR surname among several families, and this became the starting point for many of my tree climbing branches. Extensive information is given on several TREVOR family groups on pages 395-396, Vol.I; p. 411, Vol.I; pp. 415-416, Vol.I; pp. 456-457, Vol.I; and the most detailed connected to the surname JONES pp. 354-356, Vol.I. This reference started me on many adventures.

A second reference used frequently in my JONES family research was discovered on the self of a rare book store. It is entitled: "The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales..." by Sir Bernard Burke. It was first published in 1884. The JONES surname is found on pp. 546-549, with 108 Jones families listed. On page 1035 is found:

"Tudor Trevor (Lord of Hereford, Whittington, and both Maelors; founder of the Tribe of the Marches, surnamed TREVOR, from the place of his birth, co. Denbigh, son of YNYR AP CADFORCH, Lord of Whittington and both Maelors, in Powys, by RHEINGAR, his wife, dau. and heir of LLUDDOCA AP CARADOC VREICHFRAS, Lord of Hereford, in South Wales."

Little did I know that after more than 20 years of genealogical research, this would be the source of my Y-chromosome. Much more to come.

Sons of Beli mawr

It is believed that the "Mabinogi", which appears first in "The Red Book of Hergest", was first written down in the 1100s (twelfth century or thereabouts). This would mean that the Welsh began recording their oral history (stories) some 1000years after they are reported to have occured. Two Welsh manuscript collections still exist. The first is called "The White Book of Rhydderch (Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch) written down about 1300-1325. The second is called "The Red Book of Hergest" (Llyfr Coch Hergest) which copy is dated 1375-1425. It is generally believed that portions of various accounts were written down a hundred years before these collections were recorded. It is in these collections that my direct JONES line is recorded.

The sons of Beli Mawr; Lludd, Caswallawn, Nyniaw, and Llefwlys are clearly recorded in the sources listed above. The lineage of Beli Mawr is recorded by Lewys Dwnn, Vol. I, pp. xv, xvi, and gives a son Afflech. This may be a fifth son or an attempt at spelling Llefwlys. [A = Ll, f = ef, fle = fwl, ch = ys ?] At any rate, Lewys Dwnn gives the ancestry of another Jones grandfather named Vortiger (Vortigern) who has direct discent from Beli Mawr. This direct disent is as follows:

"Vortiger was son to Rhydern ap Deheufraint ap Eidigant, ap Eudeirn ap Enid ap Endos ap Enddolan ap Afallach ap Afflech ap Beli mawr...". My direct JONES line.

1.Jones G.,Jones, T. The Mabinogion. Everyman, London, 1949. pp.21,71,75.

2.Morus, C. The Fates of the Princes of Dyfed. Aryan Theosophical Press, London, 1914

3.Dwnn, L. Heraldic Visitations of Wales and part of the Marches. Vol. I, printed and published by William Rees, Chester, London, 1846.