Edwords History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

The Welsh surname Edwords was derived from the personal name Edward. This name is in turn derived from the Old English forename "Eadweard," which literally means "prosperity-guard." 1

Early Origins of the Edwords family

The surname Edwords was first found in Denbighshire (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych), a historic county in Northeast Wales, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. They claim descent from Einion Efell, Lord of Cynlleth, living in 1182, son of Madoc, Prince of Powys, who built Oswestry Castle in 1148.

His father was Madog ap Maredudd who died in 1160 and was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales.

"Edwards of Nanhoron descends from one of the royal tribes of Wales through Sir Griffith Lloyd and Sir Howell y Fwyallt; Edwards of Ness Strange descends from Einion Effel, lord of Cynllaeth, co. Montgomery, 1182; Edwards of Old-Court, co. Wicklow, claims from Roderick the Great, king of all Wales in 843, through his younger son, Tudwall Gloff or "the lame," whose descendants settled in Ireland in the XVII. century." 2

Early History of the Edwords family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Edwords research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1283, 1396, 1597, 1605, 1615, 1620, 1629, 1636, 1648, 1652, 1656, 1664, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1712, 1721, 1751, 1776, 1784, 1808, 1815, 1832 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Edwords History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Edwords Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Edwords have included Edwards, Edward, Edwardes and others.

Early Notables of the Edwords family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was John Edwards (c.1605-1656), a Welsh Anglican priest and translator; Jonathan Edwards (1629-1712), Welsh theologian and Principal of Jesus College, Oxford from 1686 to...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Edwords Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Edwords family to Ireland

Some of the Edwords family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 235 words (17 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Edwords family

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Edwords: Old Edward who arrived at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607; John Edward who settled in Virginia in 1699; Richard Edward, who settled in St. Christopher in 1633.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.