The old, proud name
Welsh name Gwynend is derived from the
Welsh word "gwyn," which means "fair" or "white." It was a
nickname for a person with light-colored hair or a pale complexion, or perhaps for someone who habitually wore white or pale-colored clothing.
Early Origins of the Gwynend family
The surname Gwynend was first found in
Carnarvonshire (Welsh: Sir Gaernarfon), a former county in Northwest
Wales, anciently part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, and today divided between the unitary authorities of Gwynedd and Conwy, where this distinguished
Welsh family claim lineal descent from Brochwel, Prince of
Powys, who was Commander of the
Welsh forces under Cadvan in the memorable battle near Chester fought with the
Saxons under King Ethelred of
Northumberland in the year 603.
Early History of the Gwynend family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gwynend research.
Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1559, 1544, 1553, 1556, 1520, 1580, 1553, 1627, 1602, 1671, 1588, 1649, 1626, 1611, 1622, 1675, 1628, 1719, 1671, 1673, 1674, 1675, 1675, 1676, 1650, 1714, 1695, 1677, 1749, 1742, 1689, 1718, 1713 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Gwynend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gwynend Spelling Variations
Although there are not an extremely large number
Welsh surnames, there are an inordinately large number of
spelling variations of those surnames. This variety of spellings began almost immediately after the acceptance of surnames within
Welsh society. As time progressed, these old Brythonic names were eventually were recorded in English. This process was problematic in that many of the highly inflected sounds of the native language of
Wales could not be properly captured in English. Some families, however, did decide to modify their own names to indicate a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even a patriotic affiliation. The name Gwynend has seen various spelling variations: Wynne, Wynn, Wyn, Win, Gwynne, Gwynn, Winne, Winn, Gwinn, Gwinne and many more.
Early Notables of the Gwynend family (pre 1700)
Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was John Wynn ap Maredudd (died 1559), Head of the House of Aberffraw,
High Sheriff of
Caernarvonshire for 1544, 1553 and 1556; Maurice Wynn or Morys Wynn ap John of Gwydir
(c. 1520-1580),
Welsh courtier and politician who held the Gwydir estate...
Another 149 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gwynend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Gwynend family to Ireland
Some of the Gwynend family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 199 words (14 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 Gwynend family to the New World and Oceana
The
Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those
Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Gwynend: Thomas Wynne and his wife Catherine settled in Plymouth in 1620; the same year as the "Mayflower"; Ed Winn settled in North Carolina in 1701.