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Archiver > POWYS > 1999-07 > 0931125058


From: Dick Jones <>
Subject: Re: splotches - help with names
Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1999 21:50:58 +0000


>I have been looking at some old records (1714-1724) from Vaynor, Brecon,
>and have found a few names partially damaged with ink or water splotches.
>I was wondering if those of you who are more familiar with welsh names
>might be able to recognize them? The gentleman who recorded this
>information was also a very poor speller. I have found some very common
>names spelled in some very strange ways. Do any of the names below look
>familiar?
>
>Given names:
>Maudlem (female)
>Mallt (male)
>_ _r_ _ lin (male)
>_iagdt_ _ _ (this was a burial record, sex unknown)
>
>
>Surnames:
>BOABAM, BOAZAM, or possibly BOAKAM?
>
>Are any of the following surnames:
>PRI
>EHO
>LAWES
>PRILLYN
>
>
>Thanks,
>Cindy Hills
>

Cindy

In 'Welsh Surnames' by T. J. Morgan and P. Morgan (University of Wales,
1985) in the section on Bychan (Vaughan etc.) there is a reference to
'Mawdlam' in Glamorgan having developed from 'Mawdlan' or 'Magdalen' due to
sound changes in natural speech. 'Maudlam' would sound virtually the same
as 'Maudlem'.

Also in the Bychan section there is a reference to the names Boughan,
Bougham,Baugham, Bangham, Baughn which come from the radical (or unmutated)
form 'bychan'. The more common Vaughan arises from the mutated form
'fychan', an epithet frequently attached to personal names to distinguish
the son from the father. It literally means 'small, little'.

Boakam is possibly a variant/mispelling of Bougham.

Lawes is a patronymic formed from 'Law'[(1) a Middle English pet form of
Laurence; (2) a topographic name for someone who lived near a hill)] and is
found chiefly in the southern England.

With regard the other names it is rather difficult unless one sees the
original document. All I can suggest is that you ask someone who works with
old documents in a county record office or archives in Wales--you haven't
indicated where you hail from!!

The consontal combination 'gdt' in '_iagdt_ _ _' is impossible. One
consonant would have to be removed or changed.

'Pri' and 'Eho' are extremely unlikely to be 'Pré' (French) and 'Ehn'
(Swedish). <grin> There are not many three letter surnames around.

'Prillyn' seems complete but very strange.

N.B. 'Welsh Surnames' is a treasury of old Welsh names and how they were
mangled/mispelt/modified/Anglicised up to the 18th century.

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