Did you know that there are so few Welsh surnames (practically everyone is a Jones, Williams, Pritchard etc) because of the switch from the Welsh medieval patronymic naming system to the fixed surname system we have today?
There was a time when the vast majority of people within Cymru were named under the patronymic – e.g., taking on the father’s name as a last name, as can be seen with some historic examples like Llywelyn ab (meaning “son of”) Iorwerth, Gwenllian ferch (meaning “daughter of”) Gruffudd and so on.
The gradual anglicisation of names (at least among the gentry) likely began following the Edwardian Conquest of Wales, with the number of patronymic names estimated at being around 50% of the country in the 1300s. However, it could have begun much earlier, given parts of the south of the country had mostly been under the rule of Anglo-Norman Lords for decades at this point. What is more certain is that the process rapidly accelerated during the reign of Henry VIII.
The change would have been exacerbated by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542 and the Reformation. The former saw a change in Welsh law, resulting in it becoming English in nature, with the Welsh language being outlawed in various walks of life (namely law and political) – as well as the annexation of Wales into England. The second, of course, was religious in nature.
At this time, there were not too many different forenames in play and this resulted in the surprisingly few Welsh surnames we have today. The transformation worked its way from the gentry downwards. An “ab John” became an “Upjohn” and eventually a “Jones”. An “ap Hywel” became a “Powell”, an “ap Rhys” became a “Pryce”, an “ab Owen” a “Bowen” and so forth.
This is why there are so many Jones’ within Cymru and why many of them are not in the slightest related.
Cite this Article
George, N. “The Evolution of Welsh Surnames.” WelshHistories.com, July 26, 2025, https://welshhistories.co.uk/evolution-welsh-surname. Accessed July 26, 2025.
More from Welsh Histories
Welsh Histories is a Welsh history celebrating platform which looks to promote all aspects of Welsh history. Though we focus predominantly on native Welsh history, we do also share the non-native aspects from time to time. You can follow us on Facebook; Instagram or Twitter for more. You can also support us as a member of our Patreon community. A reader? We also have our very own Welsh Histories Shop where we sell our Welsh Histories Magazine. Diolch yn fawr iawn and keep enjoying Welsh Histories.
Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.
My Family, oral History, is our last name, “Archer”, is Welch. Any truth, to that?