Llewelly

Recorded in several modern forms including LLewellyn, LLewellin, LLeweln, LLewhellin, the diminutive Llewelly, this is an ancient surname of Olde English and Welsh pre 7 century origins. It derives from the Celtic elements "llyw" meaning "leader" and "eilun", meaning "the likeness to". There are researchers who claim that the first element does not mean leader but lion, however as the lion is also regarded as the king of the beasts, it would suggest that such arguments are rather pointless. To add to the confusion the town of Carlisle in the north of England was originally called "Caer Luel", and it may be that "Luel", a Celtic gods name. could also represent the first element in the surname. There are few straight lines with names, and even fewer with those that pre-date written history. In England the name was originally recorded in the forms of Lewelyn and Lewlin, whilst Shakespeare's "Fluellen" in the famous stage play "Henry V" is an English attempt to pronounce the Welsh surname correctly. An early example of the surname recording is that of Roger Lewelin of Chirk in Shropshire in 1255, whilst David, the son of Morris Llewellyn, was christened on the 27th June 1621 at St. Botolph's church, Bishopsgate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Tudor ap Lleyelyn, which was dated 1391, in the register known as the "Extent of Chirkland", 1391 - 1393. This was during the reign of King Richard 11 of England, known as "Richard of Bordeaux", 1377 - 1399.