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Instinctively all Welsh people know that there are lots of Jones', Davies' and Williams' in Wales. In the table below, here's the proof. The ten most popular Welsh surnames account for over 60% of all Welsh people. Did you also know that many Welsh surnames have their own tartan.
The ancient Welsh patronymic naming system describes the process of giving a child the father's forename, as a surname. This means that a family's name (surname) changes in successive generations. The Welsh patronymic system describes family trees in terms of the male line only and records the family association in the 'ap' or 'ab' prefix ('ap' is a contraction of the Welsh word 'mab', which means son). For example, Rhys ap Dafydd translates as 'Rhys, son of David'. Modern Welsh surnames such as Powell, Price and Prichard are the result of this contraction and a progressive tendency to Anglicise Welsh names: under the patronymic system they would have been ap Hywel, ap Rhys and ap Richard.
This process of conversion to the system of fixed names in Wales began in the fifteenth century and continued through to the middle of the eighteenth century. The trend was stratified socially: the higher classes in society began the process, which then was passed on to the lower classes.
The range of Welsh surnames is small, due in part to this process of conversion, but also because of the growing tendency to adopt English forenames (usually taken from Christian saints), particularly in towns on the Welsh borders. Names such as John, William, David and Hugh became Jones, Williams, Davis and Hughes. In north Wales, place names were frequently adopted, and in mid Wales families adopted nicknames for surnames. Jenkins is possibly derived from two different sources: as a corruption of a Flemish version of John, and as a result of the popularity of the name Ieuan in Wales during this period. Ieuan also gave rise to Evan(s) and Jones.
The way in which official records of births, marriages and deaths were kept also complicates the issue. The Act of Union (1536) stated that all official documentation in Wales was to be carried out in the English language. This meant that Welsh names were registered in an anglicised form. The process of civil registration in 1837 completed the long transition to fixed surnames. The traffic was not all one-way, though. The names of Welshmen who migrated to England were often transposed into English, so Ddu became Dee and Caradog became Craddock.
Embrace your Heritage with a Welsh Tartan Scarf or Keyring. Many Welsh surnames have a Welsh tartan. Our Welsh tartan scarves are made with luxury, pure new worsted wool. These unisex scarves are approximately 150 x 28 centimetres (58 x 11 inches) in length and is 350 grams (13 ounces) in weight. Finished with a fringe., it includes the sewn in label of the tartan name.
Many of the most numerous Welsh surnames available - the most popular five are Jones, Davies, Williams, Evans and Thomas, but there are many more! There's also a range of Welsh national tartans such as Owain Glyndwr, St David's and Pride of Wales. (Go to Welsh Tartans)
See all Welsh tartans - Click here...
| Ranking | Surname | Most Popular Welsh Surnames |
| 1 | Jones | 14.5% |
| 2 | Davies | 9.5% |
| 3 | Williams | 9.4% |
| 4 | Evans | 6.3% |
| 5 | Thomas | 6.1% |
| 6 | Roberts | 3.9% |
| 7 | Lewis | 3.4% |
| 8 | Hughes | 3.2% |
| 9 | Morgan | 2.9% |
| 10 | Griffiths | 2.5% |
| Top Ten Welsh Surnames | 61.7% | |
| 11 | Edwards | 2.4% |
| 12 | Smith | 2.2% |
| 13 | James | 2.1% |
| 14 | Rees | 2.1% |
| 15 | Owen | 1.8% |
| 16 | Jenkins | 1.7% |
| 17 | Price | 1.7% |
| 18 | Morris | 1.7% |
| 19 | Phillips | 1.6% |
| 20 | Richards | 1.4% |
| 21 | Lloyd | 1.3% |
| 22 | Harris | 1.1% |
| 22 | Taylor | 1.1% |
| 24 | Parry | 1.1% |
| 25 | Powell | 1.0% |
| 26 | Brown | 1.0% |
| 27 | John | 0.9% |
| 28 | Watkins | 0.8% |
| 29 | Howells | 0.7% |
| 30 | Pritchard | 0.7% |
| 31 | Rogers | 0.6% |
| 32 | Hill | 0.6% |
| 33 | Hopkins | 0.5% |
| 34 | Ellis | 0.5% |
| 35 | Bowen | 0.5% |
| 35 | Johnson | 0.5% |
| 37 | Matthews | 0.5% |
| 38 | White | 0.5% |
| 39 | Wilson | 0.5% |
| 40 | Rowlands | 0.5% |
| 41 | Martin | 0.5% |
| 42 | Baker | 0.5% |
| 43 | Clarke | 0.5% |
| 44 | Bennett | 0.5% |
| 45 | Pugh | 0.5% |
| 46 | Green | 0.5% |
| 47 | Turner | 0.4% |
| 48 | Walters | 0.4% |
| 49 | Collins | 0.4% |
| 50 | Bevan | 0.4% |
Our company, FelinFach Natural Textiles is located in the heart of the Preseli area of Pembrokeshire near to Boncath. We design Welsh blankets and the iconic Welsh Tapestry blankets which are traditionally woven at Welsh mills. We also design and make natural hand dyed yarn, cotton, silk and wool scarves and other handmade products. We also offer Sheepskin Rugs, Gift Cards and tools and books for crafters and knitters - Cocoknits, Laine, Amirisu and Making to name a few!. We are a proud supporter of the Campaign for Wool and Global Welsh.
Last update 9th February 2021
Born on 27th October 1914 Dylan was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems, Do not go gentle into that good night, And death shall have no dominion, and Under Milk Wood. Thomas left school to be a newspaper reporter but it wasn't until 1932 when concentrated on his poetry full-time. He became popular in his lifetime and remained so after his death at 39 in New York.
