| ![Show Contents]() Kedwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Wales The origins of the Welsh name Kedwell go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Kedwell once lived in the town of Kidwelly, which is situated in the Welsh region of Dyfed. The Normans noted the strategic importance of this town, which is bordered by the coastline and two minor valleys. The town features a magnificent castle which dates from the 13th century; however, this stands on the site of a previous castle built in 1094, by William de Londres. The surname Kedwell belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Kedwell familyThe surname Kedwell was first found in Dyfed a former county, and the ancient Welsh Kingdom of Pwyll, Lord of Dyfed in South-west Wales, comprised of the present day counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, and Cardigan, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Early History of the Kedwell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kedwell research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1589 and 1747 are included under the topic Early Kedwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kedwell Spelling VariationsThe Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. The priest or the scribe taking the official records determined how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. 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 could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Kedwell have included Kidwelly, Kidwelley, Kidwell, Kidwall, Kedwell and others. Early Notables of the Kedwell familyMore information is included under the topic Early Kedwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kedwell familyMany Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Kedwell were found: J.H. Kidwell, who sailed to San Francisco in 1851.
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