Medieval Welsh Ancestors

Those who have found their noble and royal lines in Weis’ Ancestral Roots of 60 Colonists may have noticed that the Welsh lines are given short shrift. Carl Boyer’s Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans is a unique work, resulting from years of research and three trips to Wales with work in the National Library at Aberystwyth, which develops the Welsh lines as far as they can be traced, and includes thousands more ancestors.

The author, Carl Boyer 3rd, has been a friend for many years. I will personally vouch for the quality and accuracy of his work. The man is a very adept genealogist, with many years of experience in researching medieval ancestors.

The volume should be of interest to everyone with noble and royal English ancestry, for it picks up where Weis and other scholars treating English lines gave up. As an example, Joan, daughter of King John of England, married Llywelyn ab Iorwerth the Great, Prince of North Wales. Books on English medieval ancestry stop with the name, usually spelled poorly as copied from some English source, and perhaps one or two lines of data. Boyer’s book includes a page and a half of biographical material and data on each of his twelve children, of whom five were children of Joan. Llywelyn is a descendant of Merfyn Frych, who is said to have been slain in a battle with the King of Mercia about 840, and was father of Rhodri Mawr, King of Wales, who died in the 870s.

Many English families are closely related to the Welsh: de Burgh, Herbert, Lingen, Owen, Puleston, Stanley, le Strange and Turberville, among the many dozens found in the index. An index of Welsh Patronyms makes it easy to find the Welsh entries. I haven’t transcribed that index in this review. I attempted to, but soon gave up as all the fertches and abs and aps were making me crazy! The volume also includes a Personal Names Index, which is actually a surname index with given names included. These names are for those with English-style surnames, not patronymics. See the list copied from the index of Personal Names (without the given names) below.

At the end of this review, I have included a listing made up of the names of those whose descendent genealogies are found in this volume.

Boyer made three trips to Wales while researching this volume because of the difficulty of finding sources in the United States, and did much of his work in the National Library at Aberystwyth.

Order Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans, A Comprehensive Genealogy With Biographical and Historical Background as Well as Critical Commentary; by Carl Boyer, 3rd; 2004; Hardback; 6×9.25; 431 pp.

Names included in the Index of Personal Names, Excepting Patronyms

• Of Abergavenny
• Abrahall
• ÆLFGAR,
• ÆLFGIFU
• Alcock
• De Aldford
• ÆLFGAR,
• ÆLFGIFU
• Alcock
• De Aldford
• Alfred the Great, King of England
• Appleton
• Arnold
• Arthur, King
• De Arundel
• Athelstan
• Audbrey
• De Audley
• Austin
• Baldwin
• De Bamville
• Banastre
• Barret
• Barry
• Baskerville
• Bassen
• Basset
• Beauchamp
• Beufort
• Bebb
• De Bechie
• Becket
• Beinon
• Beisyn
• De Belesmo
• Le Belward
• Berkeley
• Berkerolles
• De Berney
• De Besford
• Besyn
• Bewprey
• Blaene[y]
• Blout
• Bluet
• Blunt
• Bohlier
• De Bohun
• Boteler
• Bowdler
• Bowen
• Boyer
• Bracey
• De Braiose
• De Breteuil
• De Brian
• Brickill
• De Bromrurgh
• Le Brun
• Bullen
• Bulkeley
• Burchill
• Burgh
• De Burwardsley
• Butler
• De Caen
• Cambrey
• Cantelupe
• Cantington
• De Canvey
• Carn/Carne
• Castell
• Castle
• Cattherine of Valoise, Queen of England
• Charlton
• De Chaworth
• De Cherleton
• Chetwynd
• De Cheyne
• De Clare
• Clement
• Le Clerk
• De Cliffor
• Clopton
• Clough
• Cobham
• Colley
• Conwy
• Corbet
• Cornwall
• Cradock
• De Craucombe
• De Crewe
• Croft
• De Cruwe
• Davies
• Delaber
• Delabere
• Delamorehall
• Delves
• Devereux
• Dicleston
• Dodge
• Dwnn
• Eanfrith
• Ed Edgbold
• Edit/Ealdgyth
• Edith Swanneck
• Edward I, King of England
• Edward II, King of England
• Edward IV, King of England
• Edward the Confessor, King of England
• Edwards
• Edwin
• Eliot
• Englefield
• Evan
• Evans
• Eyton
• Furrers
• Fitz Alan
• Fitz Hamon
• Fitz Gerald
• Fitz Herluin
• Fitz John
• Fitz Martin
• Fitz Martin
• Fitz Osbern
• Fitz Peter
• Fitz Pons
• Fitz Richard
• Fitz Stephen
• Fitz Warin
• Fleming
• Francis, Duke of Burgundy
• Franklin
• De Frene
• Gamage
• De Gavaston
• Gerald
• Gethin
• Giffard
• Gifford
• Glendower
• Glyndwr
• Glynn.Glyn
• Godgifu (see Lady Godiva)
• Lady Godiva
• Grant
• Grey
• Griffith/Gruffudd
• Gunter
• Gustin
• Gwis
• Gwyn
• Hacluyt
• Haliwel
• Hammond
• Hanmer
• Harcourt
• Harewell
• De Harley
• Harold II, King of England
• Harthacanute, King of England
• De Hastang
• Hasting
• De La Hay
• Henry I, King of England
• Henry II, King of England
• Henry II, King of England
• Henry IV, King of England
• Henry V, King of England
• Henry VI, King of England
• Henry VII, King of England
• Harberd
• Herbert
• Hergest
• Herl
• Higgins
• Holgate
• De La Home
• Hoord
• De Hooton
• De Hopton
• De Houghton
• Hugh, Earl of Chest
• Hughe
• Hughes
• Humphrey
• Humphrey
• De Hunstanton
• Huntley
• Hurw
• De Ingham
• Ingram
• Innocent Iv, Pope
• Ireland
• Jarman
• Jasper, Earl of Pembroke
• Jenkins
• John, King of England
• Jones/John
• Joyce
• Kemeys
• Kynaston
• De Lacy
• Laim
• De Lancaster
• Langley
• De Leia
• Leighton
• Leland
• Lewis
• Lingen
• Lloyd
• Llywelyn
• Locke
• Loftus
• De Londres
• Louis IX, King of France
• Ludlow
• De Macclesfield
• Maelog
• De Mainwaring
• Mal
• Malaphant
• De Malpas
• De Manley
• Mansel
• Marbury
• Marshal
• Mascy
• Mathew
• Matthews
• Maurice
• De Mawddwy
• Maximus, Emperor of Rome
• McCarthy
• Merbury
• Of Mercia
• Meredith
• De Merleberge
• Middleton
• Mildwater/Milewater
• Mitton
• De Montalt
• De Montfort
• De Montz
• De Morehall
• Morgan
• Morley
• Morris
• De Mortimer
• Mouthe
• Musard
• Mwren
• Mytton
• De Nafford
• Nerber
• Newport
• De Northampton
• Olswyth
• De Ormsbee
• Osric
• Oswald
• Oteley
• Ottobon
• Owen
• Palmer
• Pantolph/Pantulf
• Parry
• Paslowe
• Patric
• Pauncefote
• Payn
• Pembrugge/Pembridge
• Penda, King of Mercia
• Pendawardine
• Percy
• De Perrers
• Perrot
• De Peshale
• Peyton
• Peytvine
• Pierce
• Pigot
• Pitcher
• Plantagenet
• De Plaiz
• De La Pole
• Powys
• Price
• Prichard
• Prys
• Pugh
• De Puleston
• Pulford
• Pursell
• Pybba
• Ragnold/Reginald I, King of Man
• Ralph Guider/Wahler
• Read
• Rees
• Richard
• Richard I, King of England
• Richard II, King of England
• Roberts
• Robri
• Roger
• Rosindal
• Rossel
• Russell
• Sackville
• St. John
• De St. Valerie
• Salesbury
• Salt
• Salter
• Savage
• Saxton
• De Say
• De Sayes
• Le Scot
• Scourfield
• Scudamore
• Seymour
• Shepard
• Sihtric, King of Dublin
• Smith
• Solers
• Somerser
• Somerville
• De Somery
• Le Sore
• Stackpole
• Stanley
• Stanton
• De Stapleton
• Stephen
• Stephen, King of England
• De Storks
• De Stradling
• Le Strange
• Struttelingas (See Stradling)
• Sully
• Sutton
• Talbot
• Thomas
• Thornes
• Thorold
• Throckmorton
• Tibbot
• Titley
• Toret
• Touchet
• Toucher
• De Trafford
• De Tregoz
• Trevor
• Trigald
• Tripp
• Trumwyne
• Tuchet
• Turberville
• Tybotts
• Tyrwhitt
• Upton
• De Valle
• Vaughan/Vaughn
• Verdun
• Verey
• Vernon
• Walbye
• Wallis
• De Walton
• Walwyn
• Welsh
• Wen
• De Whitney
• Whittington
• DE Wigmore
• Wilbraham
• William the Conqueror
• William, Earl of Gloucester
• William Rufus, King of England
• Williams
• Willoughby
• Winchester
• Winter/Wynter
• Witiot
• Wogan
• Wolf
• Wroth
• Wyn
• Wynn/Wynne/Wen
• Wynston
• Wynter
• Yonge
• Zouch

The following list is made up of the names of those whose descendent genealogies are found in this volume. In just a very few cases, I’ve left out the foreign special characters over letters because I could not figure out how to add them in the time I had available to me. Note that ap and ab mean “son of” or in some cases “descendent of.”

• Adam ab Ifor
• Add Fawr
• Adda of Mochant
• Aleth
• Besford
• Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
• Bleddyn ap Maenyrch
• Blegywryd ap Dinawal
• Bod Hen
• Bowdler
• Broughton
• Burchill
• Cadwgon Fantach
• Caradog
• Carwed
• Cilmin Droetu
• Cole Hen (Old King Cole)
• Cunedda Wledig
• Cydifor ap Dinawal
• Cydifor ap Gwaithfoed
• Cydifor Fawr
• Cydryth ap Gwaithfoed
• Cynddelw ab Einion
• Cynfelyn ap Dolffyn
• Cynwrig
• Drymbenog ao Maenyrch
• Ednywain ap Bradwen
• Ednywain Bendew I
• Ednywain Bendew II
• Edwin of Tegeingl
• Eidio Wyllt
• Einion ap Gollwyn
• Einion ap LLywarch
• Einion ap Rhiwallon
• Einudd
• Elidir Goch
• Elystan Glodrydd
• Erb
• Evans of Machynlleth
• Fleming
• Genillin
• Godwin
• Gollwyn
• Grant
• Gwaithfoed of Gwent
• Gwalchmai
• Gwenwys
• Gwilym of Tyle-Glas
• Gwyn ap Gruffudd
• Gwynfardd Dyfed
• Hedd
• Herasdt
• Herl
• Hwfa
• Hywel ap Maredudd
• Iarddur
• Idnerth Benfras
• Iestyn ap Gwrgan
• Iorwerth ap Cydifor
• Ithel Aurgledde or Ithel Gledde
• Ithel Dalfrith
• Jones of Esgair, LLanbrynmair
• Kynaston
• Lingen
• Llawr Grach
• LLawrodd Dyed
• Llowdden Hen
• Llywarch ap Bran
• LLyarch Howlbwrch
• Llywelyn ap Gwrgan
• Llywelyn ap Hoedlyw
• Llywelyn Eurdorchog
• Llywelyn Fraisg
• Mabon Glochydd
• Macsen Wledig
• Mael Maelienudd
• Maelog
• Maenyrch
• Marchudd ap Cynan
• Meilir Gryg
• Mercia
• Meurig
• Mor and Llyminod Angel
• Morda Frych
• Morgan Hir
• Osbwrn Wyddel
• Padriarc
• Paen of Ludlow
• Perrot
• Philip ab Uchdrud
• De Puleston
• Rheinallt
• Rhirid ap Rhiwallon
• Rhirid Flaidd
• Rhodri Mawr
• Rhun ap Dinawal
• Rhydderch ab Iestyn
• Rhydderch ap Tewdwr Mawr
• Rhydderch Ddu
• Rhys Chwith
• Rhys Goch of Ystrad YW
• Sanddre Hardd
• Seisyll
• Selyf
• Stackpole
• Stanley
• Le Strange
• Tewdwr Mawr
• Trahaearn ap Caradog
• Trahaearn ap Tangwel
• Trahaearn Fawr
• Trahaearn Goch of Llyn
• Tudur Trefor
• Turberville
• Ynyr Gwent

Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans, A Comprehensive Genealogy With Biographical and Historical Background as Well as Critical Commentary; by Carl Boyer, 3rd; 2004; Hardback; 6×9.25; 431 pp