JOHN (JP-1) The Jones Surname Bridge

John (JP-1) ap Robert (JO-1) is the next in line among the branches of my JONES family tree.  To become a JONES one must have a JOHN among the branches.  It was this JOHN (JP-1) of Llynn-Onn who was the one for my family.  His wife was Jane Almer (JP-1) who has a distinct family tree of her own.

It was during the period that Wales was placed completely under the laws of England (Act of Union, 1536 and additions of 1542) that the Welsh naming system [ name "ap" name "ap" name "ap", etc.] was truncated to the English "surname" system [first name then surname].  It was a matter of what the English "ear" heard when a Welshmen gave his "name ap JOHN" that was to become the surname JONES.

Robert (JO-1)

Robert ap Edward also married a Margaret.  She was Margaret Eyton (JO-2) of Rhuabon, Co. Denbigh.  He is given as "of Llywn-Onn" and continues the family story of balancing the fence along the border land between Wales and those folks from the other side of the Island.

The following figure tries to shown the border established by the Anglo-Saxons some time in the early 700s.  The first fence was called Wat's Dyke which in the Anglo-Saxon means "guard dyke".  It was followed by Offa's Dyke some years later, and became the flash point for more many struggles.  It was along this border that my family live for many generations.

North to south, east to west, the family survived riding the fence.

Edward (JN-1)

Edward ap Howel would be the next in line.  He is identified as "of Llwyn-Onn", and his wife is Margaret Wyle of Bersham.

Bersham was a border area along Wat's Dyke.  Llwyn-Onn of Llanfair was to the west, and Llywn-Onn of Wrexham was to the east.  It must have been along these roads that the family managed to survive both the Anglo-Saxon colonization, and the gradual Norman annexation.

The above figure shows the time analysis for these generations, Howel (JM-1) and Edward (JN-1).  Both the wives were named Margaret, and this name becomes the most common name among my JONES family tree.

Howel (JM-1)

Howel of Llwyn-Onn is the next generation.

His wife is recorded in Nicholas (p.355) as Margaret of Pengwern.  The name "Pengwern" must have been taken from the "capital" [family seat] of the Cornovii, for in Davis [A History of Wales pp.63-65] he discusses this term in the territory of the Cornovii.  Some feel this was originally located at present Shrewsbury, but it is a Welsh name given to several sites. [See A Gazetteer of Welsh Place-Names, p.93]  At any rate, Margaret seems to be from the same lineage of Tudor Trevor, who settles in the Welsh kingdom of Powys.  Powys was formed from the territory of Cornovii.  How about that for "internal consistency" in the old tree climbing experience.

Llewelyn (JL-1)

Llywelyn the Great died on 11th April, 1240 AD.  It is recorded in Lloyd that the Cistercian annalist wrote: "that great Achilles the Second, the lord Llywelyn...whose deeds I am unworthy to recount." [Lloyd p.226-227]   It was around the death of this Llywelyn that the next in my family line was born.

He was the eldest son of Iorwerth (JK-1), and is recorded as being of Llwyn-Onn.  His wife was Gwenlliam (JL-2) of Bersham.  I suspect that his father wanted him named after Llywelyn the Great [Llywelyn ab Iorwerth Drwyndwn] following this period of Welsh history.  The figure below connects father (JK-1) to son (JL-1) showing a rough dating method.

This method would give his birth around 1230 - 1240 AD, placing his marriage ca. 1250 - 1260 AD.  The name Llewelyn becomes a frequent choice among the family tree branches.

[For a more detailed discussion of the spelling and chronology of this name see my post "Spellin' Llewelyn" of  2/24/12.]

Iorwerth (JK-1)

The name "Iorwerth" seems to be picked up by the family around this time in history. [It is the Welsh transliterated into English as Edward.]  He is again recorded as of "Llwyn-Onn".  His wife's name was given as Anne.

The genealogy as recorded by Nicholas demonstrates how Welsh names need to be understood as most likely intended.  The following figure shows the use of the name Iorwerth over three generations.

The grandfather of "Iorwerth" (JK-1) was named "Iorwerth fychan" (JI-1).  Many genealogist use the Welsh term "fychan" to mean "junior" [as the son of...etc..].   In the Welsh of this period it was used to mean "the smaller" or "the younger".  It does not mean that Iorwerth fychan (JI-1) was the son of a Iorwerth [His father was Jeuaf (JH-1).]  It would mean that there was another by the name Iorwerth in the area (or family), and that Iorwerth fychan (JI-1) was the smaller or younger of the two by that name.  Welsh adjectives were often incorporated into the name to separate folks from one another.

Gruffydd (JJ-1)

The next in line is Gruffydd (JJ-1).  This would be Griffith in the English. [dd = th ]  He is also identified as of Llwyn-Onn. 

His wife is recorded as of the last line of the "Prince of Powys".  Margaret (JJ-2) is her name.  The name Margaret becomes one of the most common names among my JONES family.  The next figure place some historical context to this period ca. 1170 - 1180 AD.

Gruffydd (JJ-1) would be born around 1150 AD.  He is shown as the son of Iorwerth fychan (JI-1), and the next in line is given.  A dating method is shown lower right for the generations "J", "K", and "L".  It is a sliding scale over lapping at 50 year intervals.  The name Gryffydd "Griffith" becomes one of those Welsh surnames yet to come.