Welsh Families Project
1. Software used for Welsh project:
The software program used for inputting and maintaining this data-base is Millennia’s, Legacy Family Tree. By converting this file to other software you risk loosing valuable data such as AKA names, locality notes, and events.
To download the Legacy Family Tree software for free go to: 1. http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/ 2. Click on download Standard Edition - Legacy will send you a password via email to start the download
Once the program is installed on your computer you are ready to import the file (GEDCOM) or Restore the backup file.
2. Base Data
The base for this file or data base is from Peter C. Bartrum’s work, ‘Welsh Genealogies 300-1400’, ‘Welsh Genealogies 1400-1500’, and his corrections and additions for these works. There are 27,553 individuals entered from his first work and 55,788 from his second work. About one fourth of the people are found in both works. Approximately 63,000 are the base of the file. As of 31 Mar 2008 the file has 234,342 individuals. The time frame basically covered is 100 A.D. through 1700 A.D. with a few individuals before and after these dates.
2. Dating System
A generational dating format was used. This actually was used by Peter C. Bartrum in his ‘Welsh Genealogies’, and worked so well that it has been continued. When an actual date (example: age 6 in 1584) is known it is placed in the file as “birth: cal 1578”. If the individual has siblings they are left in the generational dating format, until a clear date is available. Eventually everyone prior to 1700 will be dated, whether by generational or conventional methods. When time frames are too far apart it becomes apparent that generations are missing. This has been solved by entering extra generations to fill the gaps. (example: [grandson], [10th great-grandson])
(It is amazing how close the dating method has been when an actual date is found. It has also helped prove or disprove marriage and parentage links. Some links which have been claimed are actually hundreds of years apart in time frame.)
3. Unknown vs. Mr/Miss (son/daughter or Mrs)
When an individual’s identity is unknown they appear in the file as [unknown]. If something is known about them, they are the heiress/heir of a specific estate or they had a second marriage, etc., they are placed in the file. (Example: [unknown] ferch Rhys, [unknown] ap Gruffudd, [unknown] Corbet). Also to identify mistresses they have been entered [mistress 1], [mistress 2], etc.
Rarely have individuals been entered who have no identifying information and these individuals relate to individuals created by LDS temple work. (Example: Mrs. Anarawd ap Rhodri "Mawr") There are at present 269 of these individuals.
4. Name Strings/Identifiers/Cognomen
The patronymic system is treated as name strings, and placed entirely in the given name field. Identifiers or cognomens, i.e. “Llwyd”, “Gôch”, “Fychan”, etc., are set apart with quotations.
(I have seen pedigrees where these identifiers have been treated as separate individuals and a non-existent individual has been created. Example: Rhys ap Llwyd ap Gruffudd)
5. Merch vs. Verch vs. Ferch
The word used for “daughter of” is merch or verch or ferch. Actually all the above are correct but are used in different time frames. Rather than try to sort every female according to time frame we chose to use ferch as part of the patronymics naming conventions for females.
6. Ap and Ab
Ap and ab are used in the patronymics for males. If the father’s given name starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o u, w, y) “ab” is used, but if it starts with a consonant “ap” is used. (example: Gruffudd ab Ieuan, Gruffudd ap Rhys)
7. Vernacular
Given names and surnames are entered in the vernacular spelling of the country rather than the English variations. Again Bartrum set the standard. Sometimes this has been difficult to determine especially with Irish/Danish names and the Marches of Wales. Also a standard spelling has been used up to the 1700s’. After 1700 the name is entered as the source shows with the exception of those still using patronymics, then the standard is used. (example: Gruffudd rather then Griffith, Rhys rather then Rice, Ieuan rather then Evan, Catrin rather then Catherine or Katherine). Alternate spellings are found as an AKA name. (AKAs can be found by turning on “Include Alternate Names” in the Options portion of the Name List or by using the icon found on the individual summary.)
8. Surnames
If a surname is not established within two generations it has been treated as an alias. (Example: 1st generation, Harry ab William (alias Harry Williams), 2nd generation Robert ap Harry (alias Robert Parry). Also brothers may go by different surnames. There are also instances where “ap” is retained as part of the surname. If an established surname is dropped or added to by a generation, like in the requirement to inherit estates, the term formerly is used to show the former surname.
William Ap Rhys Harry ab William (alias Harry Williams) Walter Hopkins (formerly Walter ap Hopkin) Walter Jones (alias Walter Spicer) William Addams-Williams (formerly William Addams)
9. Tribal Designations
Because of the size of the file and occurrence of the same name strings, the christening-place field is being used to record “Tribal Designations”. These tribal names were used by Bartrum. They are extremely helpful when a sources claim an individual descends from a particular tribe. Irish tribes in the file are broken down into “Clan” or “Sept” names.
Example:
{Marchudd} {Einion ap Llywarch} {Uí Néill, Sept Conaill Cremthainni}
10. Locality
Locality names attempt to retain the vernacular Welsh spellings. The locality notes contain different spellings of the location, both English and various Welsh or other spellings found in the sources.
Example of vernacular spelling:
Swansea = Abertawe Abergavanney = Y Fenni Haverfordwest = Hwlffordd
Example of Locality notes:
of, Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, Wales
AKA: Llangadog Fawr, Carmarthenshire, Wales AKA: Llangadock Vawr, Carmarthenshire, Wales AKA: Llangadoc, Carmarthenshire, Wales AKA: Llangadoc Vawr, Carmarthenshire, Wales AKA: Llangadock, Carmarthenshire, Wales
STATUS: civil parish CHAPELS: Capel Gwynfe, Capel Tydyst TOWNS: Gwarter-bach, Dyffryn Ceidrych, Esgob, Felindre, Fabon, Gwynfe, Sawdde, Uwch Sawdde
11. General Notes
General notes contain information about the individual and usually have source information. Tags, which are in CAPS, are used to denote different types of information. They also contain discrepancies or errors that conflict between the various sources.
General Note Examples of: Rhys "Hên" ap Gruffudd,
MILITARY: Wars and Battles> He was actively involved in the Scottish expeditions between 1310 and 1341, and the French campaigns, not only as an organizer, but as a participant as one was the Welsh Captains. (Society of Cymmrodorion, Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, p. 839) OFFICE: Deputy of Gilbert, Lord Talbot, Justiciar of South and West Wales. (Evans, British Genealogist, book 8 p. H77) OFFICE: Steward of Cardigan, 1309. (Society of Cymmrodorion, Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, p. 839) OFFICE: Sheriff of Carmarthenshire, 1322. (Bartrum, Welsh Genealogies 300-1400, vol. 9 p. 682)
TITLES: Sir Knight; knighted between Jun and Nov 1346. (Society of Cymmrodorion, Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, p. 839)
LIVING: 1328. (Shaw, History and Antiquities of Staffordshire, vol. 1 p. 126) LIVING: Paid homage at Carmarthen, 1343, as Baron by tenure. (Evans, British Genealogist, book 8 p. H77) RESIDENCE: Llangeler. (Thomas, Golden Grove MS, book 11 p. I1273) RESIDENCE: Llansadwrn (in Cantrefmawr), Wales. {Roots-file} RESIDENCE: Wichnor (in Tatenhill), Staffordshire {Wichnor, Tatenhill, Staffordshire, England}. {Roots-file} PROPERTY: He inherited the manor of Llansadwrn from his grandfather. (Society of Cymmrodorion, Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, p. 839) PROPERTY: By right of his wife he had Wichnor, Tantenhill, and Alrewas in Staffordshire; Great Benton, Witton-Underwood, in Northumberland; Burton Agnes in Yorkshire. (Douglas Richardson <royalancestry@msn.com)
BURIAL: He died at Caerfyrddin where he was interred, possibly in the church of St. Peter where he grandfather was buried. (Society of Cymmrodorion, Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940, p. 839) BURIAL: He was buried either in Polesworth Abbey or Caerfyrddin Priory. BURIAL: "seporltus est in Abbathia de Pottesworth, vet Sriorator apud Caermarden in Wallia". (Evans, British Genealogist, book 1 p. 275)
REMARKS: This Rhys "Hên" and his son Rhys "Ieuanc" seem in many sources to have been confused with each other. This error apparently occurs from the recording of both as "Rice Griffith, Rees Gruffydd, or Rhys Gruffudd" but not distinguishing the two generations. Thus wives and children have been wrongly placed and identified. REMARKS: For further reading about this man and his life see 'Dictionary of Welsh Biography' pages 839 and 840.
(Research) IDENTITY: Conflict/Error> Evans' 'British Genealogist' book 8 page H5 calls him Rhys "Ieuanc" to Ednyfed. (Research) KINSHIP: Conflict/Error> Dwnn's 'Heraldic Visitations of Wales' volume 1 page 153 confuses his children and grandchildren, scrambling them with the wrong parents and placing them in the wrong generation. (Research) IDENTITY: Conflict/Error> Dwnn's 'Heraldic Visitations of Wales' volume 1 page 251 calls him Rhys "Ieuanc" ap Gruffudd ap Sir Rhys "Hên" ap Gruffudd. The two generations of Rhys "Ieuanc" ap Gruffudd should be dropped from the name string on this page. (Research) KINSHIP: Conflict/Error> Evan's 'British Genealogist' book 2 page B65 and book 3 page C93 confuses his children and grandchildren, scrambling them with the wrong parents and placing them in the wrong generation. (Research) KINSHIP: Conflict/Error> Dwnn's 'Heraldic Visitations of Wales' volume 1 page 153 gives him a son John and a daughter Jane. Considering the scrambled descendent these two individual are probably children of one of his children. (Research) KINSHIP: Conflict/Error> Thomas' 'Golden Grove MS' book 11 page I1237 gives him two sons named John. The first John is his great-grandson John Gruffudd. The existence of the second John is questionable. (Research) MARRIAGE: Conflict/Error> Dwnn's 'Heraldic Visitations of Wales' volume 1 page 153 gives his wife as "Elsbeth v a choeyr Syr Elidir Ystackpwl". She appears to have been confused with the wife of his son Rhys "Ieuanc", Isabel Stackpole. (Research) MARRIAGE: Conflict/Error> Thomas' 'Golden Grove MS' book 11 page I1237 gives him as wife Isabel Stackpole, but she was the wife of his son Rhys "Ieuanc".