OLWEN; ACCORDING TO WHAT I VE FOUND I TOO GO BACK TO WALES.. THE GRIFFITH'S OF WALES AND AMERICA BY ANNA LAURA GRIFFITH TELLS OF THE PATH UP TO HER PRESENT IN 1982.. JANSR.. > [Original Message] > From: olwen barnes <olwen2@bigpond.com> > To: <GRIFFITH-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: 5/15/2004 9:58:22 PM > Subject: Re: [GRIFFITH] Griffith/s > > Good morning Cathy > > It's Sunday here in Sydney. > > Glad I was of some help. Keep up the good work! > > Just to give you some encouragement in your efforts. I have been > researching my various lines since 1980. The Griffiths line lay dormant for > many years because my father died when I was 12 and the information we had > of his past family life was very meagre to say the least. When > St.Catherine's House Index of births deaths and marriages for England and > Wales was freely available to look at in Australia I finally found details > to enable me to apply for my father's birth cert and from that found the > names of his parents. When I went to Wales in 1994 I managed to obtain > their marriage cert and there again came to a halt and this presented many > questions for which I couldn't find answers. > > 2 years ago I put what little information I had on the net and imagine my > surprise when someone contacted me from Wales and said she thought we shared > the same great grandfather! Many emails later this was confirmed and on > another visit to Wales I met my contact who turned out to be my 2nd cousin > and also my 1st cousin who still lives in the family house in Clydach Vale > in the Rhondda Valley. You can imagine how excited I was. Also from this I > was given much information and a large family line and may cousins some of > whom are in America. From being 'cousinless' all of my life, I now have > many. > > So you can see how technology has made it much easier to share information. > > I hope you find what you're looking for. > > Regards > Olwen > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lampshire, Cathy" <clampshire@Exchange.FULLERTON.EDU> > To: <GRIFFITH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 7:59 AM > Subject: RE: [GRIFFITH] Griffith/s > > > > Olwen, > > Thank you. That is so interesting. > > I think it is great that we can share our knowledge on this site. It > really helps. > > Though I am not even close to getting my line over the Atlantic yet. > > > > Cathy > > California > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: olwen barnes [mailto:olwen2@bigpond.com] > > Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 6:05 AM > > To: GRIFFITH-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [GRIFFITH] Griffith/s > > > > > > Hi everyone > > > > I live in Sydney, Australia, born in England with a Welsh father and my > maiden name is Griffiths! > > > > I've been reading with interest the various messages going back and forth > on the subject of this surname. > > > > Just like to let you know that Welsh surnames only came about in about the > late 1700's. Before then they used the patronymic system of naming ie John > son of William son of Griffith son of David etc etc etc. In your research > you will probably see this written as John ab or ap William ap Griffith ap > David - ap meaning son of. With women it is ferch or verch meaning daughter > of. The last prince of Wales who died (was killed by soldiers of Edward) in > 1284 was Llewellyn (modern spelling) ap Griffith (modern spelling). There > hasn't been a Welsh Prince since that time. > > > > This naming system of course presents some difficulties as surnames were > introduced. So you might have David ap Rhys who may become David Price or > Preece. > > > > My father was born in the Rhondda Valley in Tonypandy in Glamorganshire > South Wales. He left Wales and went to England and one of his uncles left > Wales in the late 1800's and went to America. So you can see that from just > my family alone there were moves outside of Wales. > > > > Look forward to reading your emails re your research. > > > > Regards > > Olwen Barnes nee Griffiths > > > > > > ==== GRIFFITH Mailing List ==== > > Get more from your posts, include who, what, when where... > > > > Please remember to change the subject line, when the subject changes. > > > > ============================== > > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > > > ==== GRIFFITH Mailing List ==== > > Get more from your posts, include who, what, when where... > > > > Please remember to change the subject line, when the subject changes. > > > > ============================== > > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > ==== GRIFFITH Mailing List ==== > NO Advertising on this list, NO rude remarks, NO chain letters, NO virus warnings! > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237