| Notes |
Patronymic surnames are based on the father’s given name. Generally, ap or ab was added between the child’s name and the father’s name. For example, David ab Owen is David "son of" Owen. For a woman’s name, the word ferch or verch (often abbreviated to vch), meaning "daughter of", was used. There were many exceptions to this:
The family could drop the 'ab' or 'ap'. In this case, his name would have been simply David Owen.
The family could drop the 'a' and attach the remaining 'p' or 'b' to the father’s name. For example, 'David ab Owen' could have been 'David Bowen'.
In dealing with patronymic names, remember:
The absence of 'ap' or 'ab' does not mean the family adopted a permanent surname. In south Wales particularly, patronymic surnames appeared without the 'ap' or 'ab'.
Different naming patterns were often used in the same family. For example, Harry John’s six sons were named Griffith ap Harry, John Parry, Harry Griffith, Richard Parry, Miles ap Harry, and Thomas Parry. They might equally have used the surname John(s) or Jones.
An illegitimate child may have used the given or surname of the reputed father, the surname of the mother, or the given or surname of the family who raised the child.
Some families used patronymics after adopting a permanent surname. Never assume that a surname is a permanent surname.
The father’s given name may be spelled differently as a surname even though it is pronounced the same (for example, Davies from David).
The name may have been anglicized.
Patronymic surnames changed with each generation.
A widow may have reverted to using her maiden surname.
Patronymic Name Surname
ab Ifan, ab Evan Bevan
ab Eynon Beynon
ap Harri, ap Harry Parry
ap Huw, ap Hugh Pugh
ab Hwfa Povah, Povey
ap Hywel, ap Howell Powell
ab Owain, ab Owen Bowen
ap Rhobyn, ap Robyn Probyn
ap Rhydderch Prydderch, Prytherch
ap Rhys Prees, Preece, Price
ap Richard Prichard, Pritchard
ap Robert Probert
ap Roger Prodger
This is just a quess-timation of how the later Mordecai's of this line came to be named Popkin. Earlier ap Hopkin was the "surname" before surnames became the established later name. This is how I imagine that "ap Hopkin" morphed itself into "Popkin". It is not a documentation. It gives me, and those researching this line, something to work with. (MCM -2002)
Because of patronymic naming customs, the International Genealogical Index lists Welsh entries under both given names and surnames. On the compact disc edition, you can also search for either a given name or a surname.
The International Genealogical Index for Wales can be difficult to use unless you understand a few points. The Welsh names in the International Genealogical Index have come from two main sources: a systematic extraction of the christenings, births, and marriages in church and chapel records and entries submitted by individual researchers. The Parish and Vital Records List is a list of the records and time periods that were systematically extracted. This list is available in print or microfiche formats at the Family History Library and in the Family History Centers.
Many Welsh people did not have surnames in much of the period covered by the International Genealogical Index. They used patronymics. Other families had established surnames. In 1813, the Established Church in Wales started using a standard, printed form for their parish registers, which included a column for surname. This made it relatively easy to determine if the family was using patronymics. Before that date, there wasn’t a surname column, so there was no way to determine if "William the son of John Thomas" would grow up to be "William John," "William Jones," "William Thomas," or by another name.
Welsh naming customs created a need to standardize the extraction of names for the International Genealogical Index. Before 1813, all births or christenings were extracted as a patronymic name, even though the family may have had an established surname.
Some entries in the early registers include a string of names, such as "Rachel daughter of Thomas John Charles of Glasgoed." These multiple names carry their owner’s genealogy, but create problems when trying to index them. The International Genealogical Index treats the first two names as the most important and discards the rest. In the example, Rachel would be listed as the daughter of Thomas John.
In an effort to help with these problems, the Wales International Genealogical Index has two indexes: the "given name index" and the "surname index." Most entries are indexed twice, once under a person’s surname and once under his or her given name. When doing a given name search, take into account that the Welsh and English equivalents for a given name were sometimes indexed together (Dafydd and David) and sometimes indexed separately (Griffith, Guto, and Griffin).
In order to compensate for the problems, follow these suggestions:
When searching for a specific baptism or birth after 1812, use the surname index. If you know that your ancestor used patronymics or came from an area where patronymics were still being used after 1812, you may need to search the given name index.
In the computer version, a parent search can be done only when the father’s surname is in all capital letters. The records extracted as patronymics prior to 1813 do not consider the father’s second name as a proper surname; therefore, the parent search will not work on most pre-1813 entries.
When searching for a specific baptism or birth before 1813, search the given name index, not the surname index. The index will list all children by the same name, such as William, listing them in order from the earliest date of baptism or birth to the most recent. You may use the surname index if you know your family was using patronymics and you know the father’s given name.
Search for a marriage under the surname of the bride or groom.
Search for all marriages after 1812 with a specific surname, as in a one-name study.
In summary, use the surname index (or surname search) for births and baptisms after 1813 and for marriage at all times, but use the given name index (given name search) for births and baptisms before 1813. Use the parent search on the computer version only when the father’s surname is in all capital letters. Always check the entries you find with the original record from which they were extracted.
Ancestral File. This file, part of FamilySearch™ at www.familysearch.org, contains family history information linked in family groups and pedigrees that have been contributed since 1979. Ancestral File contains thousands of Welsh families. It can print pedigree charts, family group records, and individual summary sheets for any person in the file.
Family Group Records Collection. Millions of family group record forms have been microfilmed in the Family Group Records Collection. These forms include many Welsh families. There are two major sections: the Archive Section and the Patrons Section. The film numbers for both sections are listed in the Author/Title Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
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Abt 1660 - Yes, date unknown