Hello Annie, I don't know who the Olivers were but they have been in Wales since approx 1670. Strangly some have the same unusual Christian names wherever they lived in Wales e.g. Lewis Oliver. There was a contingent around Dinas Pembs and also New Quay and Llangeler. The name was certainly a surname until 1850's in Fishguard area. Many thanks Yvonne ----- Original Message ----- From: <cardi2@aol.com> To: <dyfed@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2009 1:53 AM Subject: [Dyfed] French People in Cardiganshire > There was an Oliver family near Devils Bridge in Northern Cardiganshire. > Two of the sons were ministers - Rev. Abraham Oliver who was at Bethlehem > Chapel in Llanddewi Brefi and David Oliver who was at Twrgwym near > Rhydylewis. My great Uncle Thomas Lloyd worked for Abraham Oliver and my > great grandfather helped David Oliver build a chapel near Aberbanc. I > came to the conclusion that Oliver was a patronymic name rather than being > French, but its possible. There are a lot of "strange" names in > Cardiganshire such as Ajax, Felix, Mathias, Simon, Anthony, Andrew, > Oliver, etc. As for a French connection, there were Flemings in PEM in > the 12th centruy and there was a Dutch community near Llandovery which is > where I believe my Ajax family originally came from. My father, who aws > Welsh-born always said that Mathias was a Welsh name. Some of these names > disappear after a generation because they are patronymic. > > Annie > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Attached Message > > > > > > > > From: > > > yvonne evans <a.y.evans@homecall.co.uk> > > > > > > > To: > > > DYFED@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > Subject: > > > [Dyfed] French in South West Wales > > > > > > > Date: > > > Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:34:52 +0100 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello Listers, > This is a long shot! I have heard tales of French people in small numbers > inhibitating the Cardigan area(Ferwig area) in 1700's.Apparently there was > a > farm in that area with a French name. I have ancestors by surname Oliver > originating from North Pembs and also ancestors with surname Peregrine > from > North Pembrokeshire including the Llandysilio area. My grandparents used > to tell > me we had continental connections going back to > 18th century, but I have been unable to trace any! I am just wondering > about a > Hugenot connection fleeing from persecution in France. Has anyone any > ideas ? It > would be very much appreciated. > Yvonne Evans > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Attached Message > > > > > > > > From: > > > Jennifer Cairns <jenmathias@gmail.com> > > > > > > > To: > > > DYFED@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > Subject: > > > Re: [Dyfed] French in South West Wales > > > > > > > Date: > > > Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:13:50 -0700 (PDT) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Yvonne > > I know of Fleming settlement in Pembs but not Huguenots (although my > father > surname Mathias, claimed he was of Huguenot descent when in poetic mood, > but I > have never found any trace !) - but perhaps individuals fled from France > and > settled here. Possibly your ancestors could have been Flemings rather > than > Huguenots. > > The Huguenot Society link is here > http://www.huguenotsociety.org.uk/ > and their family history link is here > http://www.huguenotsociety.org.uk/family.html > > Journal: Huguenot Families is a half yearly publication of the Huguenot > Society > which deals specifically with genealogy and family history - this has now > ceased > publication - but available on CD rom. > List of Contents of the journals is here:- [with lists of family names] > http://www.huguenotsociety.org.uk/uploads/docs/HuguenotFamilies_Contents.pdf > > Hope this is helpful > > Jen > > --- On Fri, 16/10/09, yvonne evans <a.y.evans@homecall.co.uk> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > ================================ > Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message