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Archiver > VAUGHAN > 2005-07 > 1120692360


From: "Ralph Vaughan" <>
Subject: Re: [Vaughan-Vaughn] Sevier Co. VAUGHANS
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 16:41:47 -0700
References: <IBEHLHEEJABGIJHFEGJHKEFPGKAA.kittler@pacbell.net> <8C75061688F0066-D54-F8B9@MBLK-M03.sysops.aol.com>


Greetings!

Vaughan is the Norman-English translation of the Welsh word "vychan"
sometimes "fychan".

Vychan means "dear or little child" and usually refers to the youngest child
in a family. The opposite of vychan is vawr and means oldest or bigger
child.

The French, beginning in about 1000AD, are the culture that decreed by law
that everyone should have a second name or surname. Most names beginning at
this time were related to hometowns or trades. Miller, Smith, Tanner, Wells,
Gates, Oldfield. See the pattern? I'm sure you can think of lots more and
you have them in your tree.

It is believed that the name vychan began to be used as a surname in
approximately 800AD. One tale is that a man by the name of Drum Benog had
three sons. Drum Benog was a Captain of the Hill Watchers whose job it was
to scan the seas for invaders, usually the Norsemen. Military leaders were
prominent enough to have the local priest write down their names for
births/deaths. Royals had it done for free and peasants had to pay. That's
the main reason why we mainly only have records for the Royals.

Drum Benog's sons were all given the same first name, Gwalter. Because of
high infant mortality rates, it was common to give all sons the same name in
hopes one would survive. In this family, all of them survived and they used
the adjectives for big, middle and littlest to differentiate themselves.
Gwalter Vychan succeeded his father in the "military" and became famous
enough to continue using the "vychan" appelation. His progeny continued to
use it also.

When William the Conqueror and friends arrived, many names were
"Normanized". In the case of Wales which was never conquered like England,
those along the Marches or border regions voluntarily Anglicized their names
to avoid confrontations with the new ruling class. Vychan became Vaughan,
the original and correct spelling.

Some die-hard Welsh kept the original Vychan and they can be found today
throughout Wales.

All other variations are simply spelling errors due to illiteracy,
pronounciation and transcription. (Ellis Island staff had nothing to do with
name changes. As being from an English-speaking nation, the English, Scots
and Welsh were favored and rarely had their names altered to American-ize
them.)

Because those that changed their names rarely had their lands forfeited to
the new king and lords, Vaughans prospered in the land of "auld" England and
Wales. In the 12th and 13th century in Wales, Vaughan is one of the most
prominent. More judges, magistrates and lawyers than just about any other
name! Well over 50 armorial shields are attributed to "Vaughan". Many Welsh
churches still have pews named for the Vaughan family on them to today. The
prime symbol is a blond-headed boy with a snake curled around his neck. This
is believed to be an umbilical cord on the birth of a particularly
significant future leader.

Sir Roger Vaughan was a member of the Round Table. Yes, there WAS an ancient
Round Table. And historically, Vaughans have played important roles in major
battles and behind the scenes politics.

You can access the commonality of names by visiting the site for the US
Census Bureau. There you will see that Vaughn is by far the most common
spelling of the name. Vaughan is waaaaaaaayyyyyy back. Way unfair!

Hopes this helps answer some questions and stimulates other to come forward
with their origin stories.

For the record I am a descendant of John Vahan/Vaughan in Rhode Island 1638.

"A History of Wales" by John Davies is an outstanding source of information.

Ralph Vaughan
Vista CA


----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 9:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Vaughan-Vaughn] Sevier Co. VAUGHANS


> Hi Pamela,
>
> In answer to your question, Yes the name is of Welsh origin, even though
many with that surname are Irish or Scots-Irish.
> I have seen different ways it has been spelled, but mostly think they are
mis-spellings. The most common I have seen is VAUGHN & VAUGHAN.
>
> Good luck in your search!
> Andre Vaughn
> Researching:VAUGHN, MEEKS, MAXWELL, BROOKS, CARROLL, COLEMAN, PHILLIPS,
MCCLINE, PETTIS, SANDERS/SAUNDERS, EARLY of TX, LA, OK, MS, AL
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kittler <>
> To:
> Sent: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 18:51:49 -0700
> Subject: [Vaughan-Vaughn] Sevier Co. VAUGHANS
>
>
> Hello! I am a new member to the VAUGHAN listserv. I have been browsing the
> archives and you guys rock! I have never seen such an enthusiastic,
> organized genealogy group. And the DNA search is incredible.
>
> I have two questions. The first is most specific: Is the VAUGHAN name
Welsh
> (that is what I inferred from the Resource page info)? Is this the most
> common spelling?
>
> My second question is does anyone know how my VAUGHAN ancestors fit into
the
> family lines--
>
> I recently found my mother's birth family. Her grandmother was Birdie Mae
> VAUGHAN (b. 1875) who married Benjamin George Lambright in 1904. Birdie
was
> daughter of George VAUGHAN (b. 1840) in Georgia and Fannie VAUGHAN. George
> was son of Henry VAUGHAN (b. about 1808) in South Carolina and Lucinow
> VAUGHAN, also from South Carolina. In the 1860 census, George is living
with
> his parents in Paraclifta Sevier Co. Arkansas. Next door is H.C. VAUGHAN
and
> May VAUGHAN (H.C. appears to be George's brother) and next door to them is
> another George VAUGHAN and Sirus VAUGHAN. In the 1880 census, George is
> living with his wife Fannie, and their 3 children, Fannie, George, and
> Birdie in Red Colony, Sevier Co. Arkansas. George is working as a teacher.
>
> Do these VAYGHAN names ring a bell with anyone? Any infor would be
> appreciated!
>
> Pamela
>
>
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