The

Ancient History
Of the Distinguished Surname
**** DAVIS ****

Beautiful Wales, mountainous land of the red dragon and Eisteddfod (music
festivals) and King Author, gives us the distinguished surname of Davis.
The Romans vacated the British Isles at the end of the fourth century. The
Welsh or Ancient Britons were left in sole possession of all of England, all the way
north to the banks of the Clyde. The Saxons forced them westward into the
mountains of what is now Wales, north to Cumberland and southern Scotland, and
into Cornwall.
Rhodri Mawr, or Roderick the Great, was the first recorded monarch of all of
Wales. He died in 893. On his death he gave Wales to his three sons, Anarawd
became King of North Wales, Cadalh became King of South Wales and Mervyn
became Kong of Powys, or mid Wales.
The ancient history of the surname Davis also emerges from these same Welsh
chronicles. It was first found in Flint where they were seated from very ancient
times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William
of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
From some of the many early records researchers examined, manuscripts such
as the Domesday Book, the Pipe Rolls, Hearth Rolls, the Black Book of the
Exchequer, the Curia Regis Rolls, your family name, Davis, was traced in many
different forms. Although your name Davis was mentioned in several different
records, it was spelt Davies, Davis, and these changes frequently occurred, even
between father and son. It was not uncommon for a person to be born with one
spelling, marry with another, and still have another on the headstone in his or her
resting place.
The Norman Conquest oof Wales was less than conclusive. A testimony to the
Welsh fighting spirit is that there are more castles, or ruins of castles, to the square
mile in Wales than anywhere else in the world. The Welsh tactic was to thrust, then
retire to their bleak mountain homes to plan their next attack. As peace gradually
returned to this picturesque country, the Welsh, attracted by the economic
opportunities, moved eastward into the English cities.
This distinguished Welsh family name Davis emerged in Flint where they were
recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire.
They were descended from Cynrig Efell, Lord of Eglwysegle, the twin son of Madog
ab Maredadd, the great grandson of Bleddyn ap Cynvin, Prince of Powys, head of
the honourable and worthy third Royal Tribe of Wales, traitorously murdered in
1073 by the men of Ystrad Tywi, after he had worthily governed all Wales for
thirteen years. Directly descended was John ap Davydd ( John Davies of the county
of Flint ). This stem of the noble Davies family branched into many locations
throughout England and Wales, too numerous to mention here. But some of their
notable seats were at Ystwyth, Brookland Hall, Craig Wen, Plas Llangoed Mor, Plas
Darland, Sand Hampton, Castle Green, Sharcombe Park, Ryton, Tan y Bwlch,
Cardigan Castle, Bron Hewlog, LLivion, and Tregaron. The optional spelling of ‘is’ or
‘ies’ has changed from father to son and has no modern significance. Prominent
amongst the family during the late middle ages was Sir Charles Davies; Sir Thomas
Davies; Bishop of St. Asaph.
For the next two or three centuries the surname of Davis flourished and played
an important role in local politics and in the affairs of Britain in general
Religious conflicts followed. The newly found passionate fervour of
Cromwellianism found the Roman Church still fighting to regain its status and
rights. The power of the Church, and the Crown,their assessments, tithes, and
demands imposed a heavy burden on the rich and the poor alike. They looked to
the New World for their salvation. Many became pirates who roamed the islands of
the West Indies such as Captain Morgan.
Some were shipped to Ireland where they were known as the Adventures for
land. Essentially, they contracted to keep the Protestant faith,being granted lands
for small sums, previously owned by the Catholic Irish. In Ireland they settled in
County Wexford were some of them became the MacDavids and Davymores.
The New World also held many attractions. They sailed across the stormy
Atlantic aboard the tiny sailing ships, built for a hundred passengers, but
sometimes carrying four or five hundred, ships which were to become known as
the “White Sails”. The overcrowded ships, sometimes spending two months at sea,
were wracked with disease. Those that survived the elements were often stricken
with small pox, dysentery and typhoid, sometimes landing with only sixty to
seventy percent of the original passenger list.
In North America, one of the first migrants which could be considered a
kinsman of the Davis family or having a variation of the family surname spelling ,
was Authur Davies who settled in Virginia in 1623; along with Christopher in 1635;
Dorthy 1635; Edward 1623; Elizabeth 1623; Ellin 1635; Emanuel 1635; Joan 1623;
John 1623 and 1698; Catherine 1679; Richard 1623; Robert 1635; Samuel 1635,
and many more.
There are many notable contemporaries of this name, Sir David Davies,
Chairman of the Welsh Tourist Board; William Henry Davies, Welsh poet, he was a
hobo until he was thirty, and his best-known book is his prose “Autobiography of a
Super-tramp”; Elmer Holmes Davis, American journalist and radio commentator;
Jefferson Davis ( 1809-1889) American statesman, Rebacca Blaine Harding Davis,
American author; Richard Harding Davis, American journalist and novelist.
Whilst researching the family Coat of Arms we traced the most ancient
recording and grant of Arms. Those many branch Coat of Arms which were granted
down through the ages may also be appropriate to the name.

The most ancient grant of a Coat of Arms found was:

Red on a silver diagonal stripe a black lion.
The Crest was:
A lion’s head.
The ancient family Motto for this distinguished name was:
“Heb Dhuw Heb Ddym, Dhuw a Digion”.
Rough translation:
Without God nothing, God is everything.