Genealogy Chat

Does anyone have any advice on how to go about researching a Jones from Wales! I'm talking about 1850-80 sort of time. Is it really a lost cause or are there some hints and tips that you think could help?

I'd appreciate any helpful ideas!

Regards


Stephanie

Hi Stephanie

Do you know whereabouts in Wales your Jones comes from and his/her full name?

Gill

I'd say go for it (but then I have no Welsh ancestry at all!) I do have Smith ancestors and thought that the line would be impossible, but it does quite quickly go back to a small village with distinctive surnames.

If you have them in a family, then the combination of names and ages of each family member, together with the place of birth, make it at least likely that you can trace them from one census to another.

The tricky bit comes when you have to detach them from one family and connect them to another (either to parents or to children).

At least the whole period is covered by certificates to get very precise addresses.

You start by getting birth,marriage and death certs.

I had my SIL's Brown family to do and it is the only way.

Also helps if you know what they did for a living.

I did a Jones tree for my nephew a while ago. They were from South Wales and I didn't hold out much hope but his grandfather turned out to have a unique first name and I eventually got several generations back. I then looked at some of the names which married into the family. There were several names just as tricky as Jones but one more unusual one turned up and led to a well researched family that went back to the 16th century. So nephew ended up with a sizeable tree though off at a tangent to the Jones.

Good luck and I am sure lots of folks on here will help.

Best wishes
Sue

My paternal family is Evans and my maternal family is Jones ! But I have been finding them. Put requests on here and this clever lot will help you out. My Jones were from South Wales as well and the problem I found was mis-spelling Names and places on census entries.

Go for it!
I have them too.
Unusual christian names are useful, my lot are full of Johns and Jacks.
Use a map to get your bearings.
My lot did cross the border looking for work and pop up in the English census too, so take nothing for granted.
Ask for help; the folks on here are wonderful.
Some of my more unusal names are harder to find as they are often misspelled!!
Happy hunting

Orange, your map idea is good, I do that as there have been places where the welsh english border has moved !

Good luck i have jones in my tree from
merthyr tydfi mid glamorgan south wales try find a william david jones the must be thousands of them so good luck in your research regards claire

Yes I have a James Jones born in approx 1862 (as per the 1891 census) in Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil. His profession was a Stationary blast engineer. He married a Mary J James who was either born in 1864 or 1868.

Thanks for all the hints and tips, so far!

Steph

Steph,
Are you thinking what to do about ordering the certs in the first place?
I'm in a similar fix with "John Smith", no specific date or place, so do I order dozens of birth certs to find the right one?
Got a nasty feeling I'll have to..........

Petrina

Steph

I am doing my husbands tree which is full of Rees', Jones and Davies its a nightmare.Although I know roughly when they were born and which town, when I look on the census etc and various sites there are lots with the same christian name all born around the same time. But I have to say the registrars office in Neath and Swansea are so helpful and have helped enormously in locating the right person. Also the staff at the Glamorgan Record office in Cardiff are great, but thats ok if the people you are looking for are in that area and if you have the time to go there.

Good luck

Liz

Nudging for Ellie who is looking for Davies in Wales!

Do you have this info?

1891:
Name: James Jones
Age: 29
Estimated birth year: abt 1862
Relation: Son-in-law
Spouse's name: Mary J
Gender: Male
Where born: Penydarren, Merthyr-Tydfil

Civil parish: Merthyr Tydfil
Ecclesiastical parish: St John Penydarran
Town: Penydarren
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 119 High Street

Occupation: Stationery Blast Engineer

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Upper Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Margaret James 63 - widow, greengrocer, born Camarthen Town
James Jones 29
Mary J Jones 27
Daniel Th Jones 4
James Jones 2
Margaret A James 9 - grandchild
Ruth James 7 - grandchild



All others born Penydarren.

Or this?

1901:
Name: Mary J Jones
[Mary J James]
Age in 1901: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1866
Relation: Daughter
Mother's name: Margaret
Gender: Female
Where born: Penydarren, Glamorgan, Wales

Civil parish: Merthyr Tydfil
Ecclesiastical parish: Penydarren St John
Town: Penydarren
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 119 High Street

Occupation: Stationary engine driver

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Upper Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 18
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 75
Household Members: Name Age
Margaret James 72 - Llanguilin, Carmarthenshire
Margaret A James 19 - grandaughter, laundress
James James 38
Mary J Jones 35
Daniel T Jones 14 - labourer in steel works
James Jones 7

1881:
Name: Margaret James
Age: 52
Estimated birth year: abt 1829
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Llangwili, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Civil parish: Merthyr Tydfil
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 119 High St
Condition as to marriage: widow

Occupation: Annuitant

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Upper Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Margaret James 52
Mary Jane James 17 - domestic servant
David Evans 27 - lodger from Camarthe Town, so could be a relative
Taliesin H. Evans 22 - lodger



1871:
Name: Margaret James
Age: 43
Estimated birth year: abt 1828
Relation: Wife
Spouse's name: Daniel
Gender: Female
Where born: Aberporth, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Civil parish: [Merthyr Tydfil and Penydarran]
Ecclesiastical parish: Merthyr Tydfil
Town: Merthyr Tydfil
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 119 Penydarren Rd

Occupation:

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Upper Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 71
Household Members: Name Age
Daniel James 39 - Iron stealer [??] in Iron Works, Camarthen
Margaret James 43
Ann James 14 - scholar
Mary J James 5 - scholar
William Meylor 24 - boarder
Margaret Deice 23 - boarder
David Daniel 22 - boarder

1861:
I think this may be them. Both Margaret & David (That's what is on the image) are from Camerthen.

Name: Margaret James
Age: 30
Estimated birth year: abt 1831
Relation: Wife
Spouse's name: David
Gender: Female
Where born: Carmarthenshire, Wales

Civil Parish or Township: Merthyr Tydfil
Ecclesiastical parish: Dowlais
Town: Dowlais
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 40 Sand Street

Occupation:

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Upper Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 130
Household Members: Name Age
David James 28 - Engineer
Margaret James 30
Anne James 4

1871:
Name: James Jones
Age: 9
Estimated birth year: abt 1862
Relation: Son
Father's name: Joseph
Mother's name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Merthyr, Glamorgan, Wales

Civil parish: Merthyr Tydfil
Ecclesiastical parish: Pentrebach
Town: Abercanaid
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 17 Gethin Street

Occupation: scholar

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Lower Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 245
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Jones 41 - brickmaker
Ann Jones 38
Hannah M Jones 13 - teacher
James Jones 9 - scholar
Margret Jones 6 - scholar
David Jones 4 - scholar
John T Jones 3 - scholar
Jane Jones 1

1881:
Name: James Jones
Age: 19
Estimated birth year: abt 1862
Relation: Son
Father's name: Joseph
Gender: Male
Where born: Merthyr

Civil parish: Risca
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales

Street address: Nr Brickworks

Occupation: Haulier B Works

Registration district: Newport
Sub-registration district: St Woollos
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Jones 51- brickmaker
James Jones 19
David Jones 14 - engine driver
John Jones 13 - labourer
Jane Jones 11 - scholar
Samuel Jones 9 - scholar
Tom Hayes 22 - son-in-law, general labourer, born Risca
Hannah Hayes 22
Minnie Hayes 1 - born Risca

1861:
Name: Joseph Jones
Age: 31
Estimated birth year: abt 1830
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Merthyr, Glamorgan, Wales

Civil Parish or Township: Merthyr Tydfil
Ecclesiastical parish: Pentrebach
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Street address: 32 Nightingale Street

Occupation: Brick manufacturer

Registration district: Merthyr Tydfil
Sub-registration district: Lower Merthyr Tydfil
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 131
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Jones 31
Ann Jones 28
Hannah Maria Jones 3
Jane Jones 1

All born Merthyr Tydfil