This genealogical endeavor has been years in the making and would not be possible without the efforts and research of many individuals along the way.
EDWARDS namesake
The name Edwards (sometimes spelled Edwardes) means the son of Edward. The name is derived from the Angelo-Saxon name: Eadweard or Eadward, which is compiled from the words Ead, meaning property or prosperity, and weard, meaning guardian or defender. Hence, the literal meaning of Edward is a defender of property or prosperity guard. In addition, Edwards is derived from a Teutonic personal name meaning rich guardian.
The Edwards family is generally thought to be of Welsh origin, having descended from the ancient Welsch Kings of Powysland. Robert, the son of Edward of Thomas, was the first to take the surname of Edwards about 1180 A.D.
The Welsh use of hereditary family names started as late as the 16th century when the normal practice was to take the fathers name as the family name. Thus there became a large number of family names taken from the names of Evan, Hugh, William, Davy and Edward.
However, generally believed to be a Welsh family name, its use can be found in England 200 years before it appeared in Wales. Some Edwards may trace their ancestery back to a Welsh parentage but their surname likely only became hereditary after they had left Wales and settled in English territory where their name ceased to change with each succeeding generation.
Prior to the Norman conquest, Edward was a personal name with widespread use probably due to the fact that Edward the Confessor was the Patron Saint of England before Saint George. Many references to the name can be found in the Doomsday Book including one 'Eaduuardus 1066'.
The name Edwards is somewhat unique among patronymic surnames. Most such names are commonly found with a "son" ending. The name Edwardson, however, is almost non-existent and has been replaced almost entirely by the form "Edwards" meaning "son of Edward." In some instances the clerks used this form to identify Edward's widow or his servant.
In England, the first known official listing of the name appears to have been made in the Curia Regis Rolls in Suffolk in 1219 with a record of a William Edward. Also, a Christina Edwardis is recorded in Huntingdonshire, England in 1279. A century and a half later, Yorkshire records list a tailor by the name Willelmus Edward as a resident of that county.
Most of it's popularity was due, no doubt, to the line of English kings who bore this personal name. Chief among them was Edward the Confessor, one of England's greatest rulers and the Patron Saint of England prior to Saint George.
Emigration from Wales to America
In the New World, one of the first settlers was William Edwards from Oxford, England who settled in Hartford, Connecticut in 1639, less than twenty years after the Pilgrims arrived in New England aboard the Mayflower. John Edwards of Kentucky served as one of that state's first two United States senators.
One of the first Welsh settlers was Howell Powell who left Brecon for Virginia in 1642. In 1660 Charles II was restored to the English throne and religious intolerance increased. The Court of Great Sessions in Bala, north Wales had threatened Quakers with burning. Welsh Quakers bought 40,000 acres in Pennsylvania and left for America in 1682.
In 1683 Baptists from Mid and West Wales settled on the outskirts of Philadelphia and soon bought 30,000 acres further down the Delaware river.
Llanbrynmair became a noted source of emigrants to America as a result of the enthusiasm of a local cleric.
19th century emigration was largely from the industrialised South of Wales.
In more recent times, Alfred George Edwards was the first Archbishop of Wales (1920-1934).
The name Edwards ranked 48th in the US according to 1956 government figures.
Coat Of Arms
Ermine, a gold lion rampant.
he coat of arms of Heraldic reference is a lion, black and silver on a shield reversed inhalf, top black and bottom silver. This is one of many coats of arms listed for the name Edwards. (Taken from Burke's General Armoury)
Coat of Arms is issued to an individual and it can only be used by that individuals' descendants. The following quote is taken from the College of Arms :
For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past.
It can often happen that there are more than one Coat of Arms recorded to a particular surname. There are many companies who sell various Coats of Arms for different names but with no history or justification.
Family Motto
God be our strength / Duw fyddo ein cryfdwr
Date format and comments used in this edition
Birth, death, burial, and marriage locations are given in the format of city/township first, followed by the county name and then the state is represented by the two-letter designator recoginized by the US Postal Service. This common format provides the most information along with brevity of reports.
Example: "Born Dec 24, 1892 in El Dorado, Butler, KS" would translate to - born in city/township of El Dorado, Butler county, state of Kansas. There are instances where a specific city/township is not indicated. In this case, the county and state (or territory) may only be listed. Many births and deaths occured in rural areas and on farms or homesteads.
Copyright (c) 2002, Timothy R. Gilroy, P.B.S., LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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