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.

Welsh Birth Names 1301 AD

The name given to a male child at birth was announced to the tribe before the elders, and he became an offical member of the kindred. To his birth name, the father's name was joined to his sons, by the Welsh term ap/ab. [ap before a consonant, and ab before a vowel] The tribal chiefs would then add the family's ancestory, by adding the next four generations of grandfathers.

Thus a male child would become a son of a six-generation patrilineal kindred. [patrilineally is through the male side] Thus a kindred was counted to the 4th cousins!

The figure to the right shows a listing of Welsh names recorded in English records of Edward I, 1301. This pattern of names has been discussed in a previous post describing the way English scribes wrote down their Welsh names. A total of 365 names were recorded in the Welsh manner. The following is a description of the "birth" names used in this group of Welsh outlaws.

The 365 names contained a total of 813 birth names. Not surprising was the fact that "Yevan" accounted for 104 (13%) of these names! This was the Norman-French way of spelling John, and it was the most frequent birth name used among this group. The next birth name was "Lewelyn" at 54 (7%). The following list shows the remaining birth names above 1% in descending order:

David 43 (5%), Madok 39 (5%), Griffith 32 (4%), Howel 32 (4%), Yervorth 26 (3%), Waghan 24 (3%), Wilim [William, Wylim] 20(2%), Trahan 19 (2%), Phelip 19 (2%), Gronu 19 (2%), Goch 18 (2%), Res 17 (2%), Seisil 14 (2%), Rosser 14 (2%), Cadugan 13 (2%), Itherl [Itherl] 11 (1%), Eynon 10 (1%), and Ivor 10 (1%). This list of names made up 64 % of the birth names.

The spelling "John" occured only 5 times (.006 %)!

Thus, at this point in the English records of the day, "Jevan" was the most common birth name among the Welsh. This birth name was the root of the JONES surname.

The list is analyzed from Patent Rolls, Edward I, made available by Professor G.R. Boynton, University of Iowa Libraries.

A helpful reference in understanding the Welsh kindred is: "Wales in the Early Middle Ages", by Dr. Wendy Davies, Leicester University Press, 1982.

Welsh Names in English Records 1301 AD

In Wales, Edward I was here to stay. His legal representatives spread out about the new counties he had created in Wales, making this new occupation a problem for many Welshmen. Thus, the Welsh and their names became part of this new legal system recorded by those who kept the records.

In 1301, a number of these Welshmen were ordered to appear for trial regarding their "outlawry" for "a plea of trespass of Roger de Mortuo Mari". [Roger Mortimer] They were to "surrender to Clifford goal" before Easter and "take their trial". [order was dated Jan. 28, Nettleham, Membrane 30, Calendar of Patent Rolls, 29 Edward I] This list consisted roughly of 355 names written in the language of the day. An analysis of these names follows. [Of course, the surname JONES does not appear.]

The Welsh names took the following form: a birth name [in some cases associated with a qualifier term], then the term "ap" [meaning son of], followed by the father's name [in some cases associated with a qualifier term]. Thus, (birth name) (qualifier) ap (father's name) (qualifier). Fifty six percent of the 355 names [197] took this form. The Welsh name was extended to three generation in 19% [68/355], and to four generations in only 6% [6/355]. The Welsh name was recorded 13 times (4%) as a series of names without an "ap" appearing, i.e., "Vernack Ivor Vonal". In summary the names were recorded by the English in their particular form as follows:

1) Griffith ap Res [recorded 45% - 161/355]

2) Yevan Gogh [recorded 19 % - 68/355] (Gogh = Coch = red) thus John the redheaded

3) Yevan ap Howel ap Kenn [recorded 18% - 63/355]

4) William ap Yevan Lippa [recorded 6% - 20/355]

5) Goch Lewelyn ap Yevan Gogh [recorded 5% - 16/355]

6) Howel ap Traharn ap Res ap Griffith [recorded 1% - 6/355]

7) Lewelyn Wagham ap Lewelyn ap Seisil [recorded 2% - 8/355]

8) Vernacak Ivor Vonal [recorded 4% - 13/355]!

Remember, the percents represent the form of the name, not the particular name used as the example. An analysis of the birth names will be given. Much more to come.