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Anwyl History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Anwyl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

Early Origins of the Anwyl family

The surname Anwyl was first found in Chirk, where the family name was first referenced in the year 1391 when Jevan Anwyl held estates in Chirk. Alternatively, the family could have originated at Enville, a parish, in the union of Seisdon in Staffordshire. 1

"This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Anwyl.' This is a Welsh surname, and as at least ninety-five per cent, of its nomenclature is baptismal, I feel bound to place it under that class; but I have not met with the name in early records." 2

Literally, the name means "beloved, dear." 3 4

At one time, the ancient mansion of Parc, in the parish of Llanfrothen was for many generations the home of the Anwyls (Anwyl of Llugwy)

The Annals and antiquities of the counties and county families of Wales (1872) notes:

"The ancient family of Anwyl have resided at Llugwy from the time when Maurice Anwyl (circa 1695) m. Joan, the heiress of that place, but previously for many ages at Parc, in the parish of Llanfrothen, in the same county of Merionethshire. There Lewys Dwnn, Deputy Herald, found them, in the 16th Century, when pursuing his Heraldic Visitation of Wales; and there they had then been seated for several generations. Their lineage is from Owain Gwynedd, the illustrious Prince of North Wales (12th cent.), son of Prince Gruffudd ap Cynan, of the direct line (through the eldest son, Anarawd) of Rhodri Mawr, King, first of N. Wales, then of all Wales (9th cent.)."

"The mansion of Llugwy, pleasantly situated on the banks of Dovey (Dyfi), is very ancient, but of date unknown. The older abode of the Anwyls, Pare (Parc), near Penrhy-deudraeth, although long neglected, has not altogether disappeared. It is approached by a drive more than a mile in length."

Early History of the Anwyl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Anwyl research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1611, 1645 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Anwyl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Anwyl Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Anwyl, Anvil, Henville, Envill, Henville, Hanvill, Envill and many more.

Early Notables of the Anwyl family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

John Anwyl, Esquire of LLanfendigaid
William Lewis Anwyl of Pre, Sherrif of Merioneth in 1611

Anwyl migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Anwyl Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Geo. B. Anwyl, aged 21, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Berlin" from Southampton, England 5

Anwyl Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Griffith William Anwyl, aged 37, originally from Buckenham, England, arrived in New York in 1908 aboard the ship "Majestic (1890)" from Soton 5
Cyris Anwyl, aged 17, arrived in New York in 1918 aboard the ship "Carpathia" from Glasgow, Scotland 5
Harold W. Anwyl, aged 40, originally from Johannesberg, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Southampton, England 5
William Anwyl, aged 24, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Caronia" from Liverpool, England 5
Alfred Anwyl, aged 28, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England 5

Anwyl migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Anwyl Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

William Anwyl, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Anwyl migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Anwyl Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Anwyl, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Earl of Lonsdale" arriving in Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand on 11th April 1841 6
Mrs. Anwyl, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Earl of Lonsdale" arriving in Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand on 11th April 1841 6
Child Anwyl, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Earl of Lonsdale" arriving in Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand on 11th April 1841 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Anwyl (post 1700) +

Major Robert Townshend Anwyl -Passingham, OBE DL JP (1867-1926), British Deputy Inspector-General of Military Police in Burma and Double Company Commander of the 72nd Punjabis
Major Robert Townshend Anwyl -Passingham, DL, JP, of Bryn-e-groes, Merioneth, father of Robert Townshend Anwyl-Passingham
Edward Anwyl (1786-1857), popular Welsh Wesleyan minister from Llanegryn, Mer
Lewis Anwyl (1705-1776), Welsh cleric and author from Llandecwyn, Gwynedd
John Bodvan Anwyl (1875-1949), Welsh Congregational minister, lexicographer, and author, descended from the Anwyl family of Caerwys, Flintshire
Sir Edward Anwyl (1866-1914), English-born, Welsh academic who specialized the Celtic languages, co-founder of Cymdeithas Dafydd ap Gwilym, Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Megan Irene Anwyl (b. 1962), former Australian politician, Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Kalgoorlie (1996–2001)
Robert Charles Anwyl Esq (b. 1849), of Llugwy, Merionethshire, lineal descendant of the Anwyls of Llugwy

The Anwyl Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus vera nobilitas
Motto Translation: Virtue is true nobility.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html