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![Show Contents]() Kidwely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Wales
The origins of the Welsh name Kidwely go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Kidwely 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 Kidwely belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Kidwely familyThe surname Kidwely 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 Kidwely familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kidwely research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1589 and 1747 are included under the topic Early Kidwely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kidwely Spelling VariationsWelsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Therefore, scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Kidwely has occasionally been spelled Kidwelly, Kidwelley, Kidwell, Kidwall, Kedwell and others. Early Notables of the Kidwely familyMore information is included under the topic Early Kidwely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kidwely familyIn the 1800s and 1900s, many Welsh families left for North America, in search of land, work, and freedom. Those who made the trip successfully helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Kidwely J.H. Kidwell, who sailed to San Francisco in 1851.
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