Welsh Surnames
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:53 am
Found this little article in Co. Mayo newspaper June 1849. May be of interest to anyone with some Welsh roots. Don't have any myself.
WELSH SURNAMES
In Sweden,hereditary suurnames are said to have been unknown before the commencement of the fourteenth century. At a much later period no surnames were used in Wales, beyond ap. or son, as David-ap-Howell, Even-ap-Rhys, Griffith-ap-Rodger,John-ap-Richard, now very naturally corrupted into Powell, Price, Prodyer and Pritchard.
To a like origin may be referred to a considerable number beginning with P and B now in use in England; amongst which may be mentioned Preece, Price, Pumphrey, Parry, Probert, Probyn, Pugh, Penry; Bevan, Bithal, Barry, Benyon and Bowers.
It was not unusual, a century or two back, to hear such combinations as Evan-ap-Griffith-ap-David-ap-Jenkin and so on to the seventh or eighth generation, so that an individual often carried his pedigree in his name.
WELSH SURNAMES
In Sweden,hereditary suurnames are said to have been unknown before the commencement of the fourteenth century. At a much later period no surnames were used in Wales, beyond ap. or son, as David-ap-Howell, Even-ap-Rhys, Griffith-ap-Rodger,John-ap-Richard, now very naturally corrupted into Powell, Price, Prodyer and Pritchard.
To a like origin may be referred to a considerable number beginning with P and B now in use in England; amongst which may be mentioned Preece, Price, Pumphrey, Parry, Probert, Probyn, Pugh, Penry; Bevan, Bithal, Barry, Benyon and Bowers.
It was not unusual, a century or two back, to hear such combinations as Evan-ap-Griffith-ap-David-ap-Jenkin and so on to the seventh or eighth generation, so that an individual often carried his pedigree in his name.