Welsh gravestone inscriptions

Surnames/tags: Cemeteries wales_project

This page is one of the Wales Project resources. It has been produced to assist with transcribing Welsh gravestone inscriptions. Where there are differences in language between North and South Wales we have tried to incorporate these. There are a few pages available on the internet with translations but we have tried to make this as comprehensive as possible.

Contents 1 Key Words and Phrases 1.1 With Affection 1.2 Possessive Her 1.3 Possessive His 1.4 Possessive Their 1.5 Months 1.6 Days of the Week 1.7 Ordinals 2 Family members 2.1 Direct family 2.2 Extended family and others 3 Occupations 4 Scripture Quotations 5 General Phrases

Key Words and Phrases

• Bedd - grave
• Blwyddyn - year
• Claddwyd - entombed / buried
• Corph / Corff - body
• Diwrnod / Dydd - day
• Er cof am - in memory of
• Er cof tyner am - in tender memory of
• Er serchog / serchus gof am - in loving memory of
• Er coffadwriaeth am - in remembrance of
• Er coffadwriaeth parchus am - in respectful remembrance of
• Er coffadwriaeth serchog / serchus am - in loving remembrance of
• Ganwyd / Ganed - was born
• Gynt o - formally of
• Gorweddle - resting place of
• Hefyd - also
• Hunodd - who died / (s)he died
• Hunodd yn yr Iesu - fell asleep in Jesus
• Cofion tyner am / I gofio'n dyner am - in tender memory of
• Mis - month
• O dan y garreg hon - underneath this stone
• Oed - age
• O'r plwyf hwn - of this parish
• Y dywededig / ddywededig uchod - the above mentioned (male / female)
• Yma y claddwyd - Here was buried
• Yma y gorwedd - Here lieth / lies
• Yn (7) mlwydd oed - (7) years old
• Yr hwn / hon a fu farw - who died (male / female)
• Uchod - above

With Affection

• Annwyl Blant - beloved children
• Annwyl Blentyn - beloved child
• Annwyl Briod - beloved spouse, husband, wife
• Annwyl Dad - beloved father
• Annwyl Fab - beloved son
• Annwyl Faban - beloved baby
• Annwyl Fam - beloved mother
• Annwyl Ferch - beloved daughter
• Annwyl Ŵr - beloved husband
• Annwyl Wraig - beloved wife

Possessive Her

• Ei Gŵr - her husband
• Ei Mab - her son
• Ei Merch - her daughter
• Ei Phlentyn - her child
• Ei Phriod - her spouse, husband
• Ei hannwyl Blentyn - her beloved child
• Ei hannwyl Briod - her beloved spouse, husband
• Ei hannwyl Fab - her beloved son
• Ei hannwyl Ferch - her beloved daughter
• Ei hannwyl Ŵr - her beloved husband

Possessive His

• Ei blentyn - his child
• Ei Briod - his spouse, wife
• Ei Fab - his son
• Ei Ferch - his daughter
• Ei Wraig - his wife
• Ei Annwyl Blentyn - his beloved child
• Ei Annwyl Briod - his beloved spouse, wife
• Ei Annwyl Fab - his beloved son
• Ei Annwyl Ferch - his beloved daughter
• Ei Annwyl Wraig - his beloved wife

Possessive Their

• Eu Mab / Mhab - their son
• Eu Baban - their baby
• Eu Merch - their daughter
• Eu Plentyn - their child
• Eu Hannwyl Blentyn - their beloved child
• Eu Hannwyl Fab - their beloved son
• Eu Hannwyl Faban - their beloved baby
• Eu Hannwyl Ferch - their beloved daughter

Months

• Ionawr (Ion.) - January
• Chwefror (Chwe. or Chwef.) - February
• Mawrth (Maw.) - March
• Ebrill (Ebr.) - April
• Mai - May
• Mehefin (Meh.) - June
• Gorffennaf / Gorphenaf (Gor.) - July
• Awst - August
• Medi - September
• Hydref (Hyd.) - October
• Tachwedd (Tach.) - November
• Rhagfyr (Rhag.) - December

Days of the Week

• Dydd Sul (Sul) - Sunday
• Dydd Llun (Llun) - Monday
• Dydd Mawrth (Maw) - Tuesday
• Dydd Mercher (Mer) - Wednesday
• Dydd Iau (Iau) - Thursday
• Dydd Gwener (Gwe) - Friday
• Dydd Sadwrn (Sad) - Saturday

Ordinals

• cyntaf (1af) - first (1st)
• ail (2il) - second (2nd)
• trydydd (3ydd) - third (3rd)
• pedwerydd (4ydd) - fourth (4th)
• pumed (5ed) - fifth (5th)
• chweched (6ed) - sixth (6th)
• seithfed (7fed) - seventh (7th)
• wythfed (8fed) - eighth (8th)
• nawfed (9fed) - ninth (9th)
• degfed (10fed) - tenth (10th)

Family members

Direct family

• Bachgen - son or boy
• Brawd - brother
• Chwaer - sister
• Gorŵyr / Gor-ŵyr - great grandchild, great grandson
• Gorwyres / Gor-wyres - great granddaughter
• Gwraig - wife
• Gŵr - husband
• Hen Daid - great grandfather (North)
• Hen Dad-cu - great grandfather (South)
• Hen Hen Rieni - great grandparents
• Hen Nain - great grandmother (North)
• Hen Fam-gu - great grandmother (South)
• Hen Rieni - grandparents
• Mab - son
• Mam - mother
• Mam-gu - grandmother (South)
• Merch - daughter
• Nain - grandmother (North)
• Plant - children
• Plentyn - child
• Priod - spouse, wife, husband, married
• Rhieni - parents
• Tad - father
• Taid - grandfather (North)
• Tad-cu - grandfather (South)
• Wyres - granddaughter
• Ŵyr - grandson, grandchild
• Wyrion - grandchildren

Extended family and others

• Amddifad - orphan
• Baban - baby
• Bachgennyn - little boy
• Brawd yng nghyfraith - brother-in-law
• Brawdmaeth - foster-brother
• Cefnder - cousin (m)
• Chwaer yng nghyfraith - sister-in-law
• Chwegr - mother-in-law
• Chwegrwn - father-in-law
• Cyfnither - cousin (f)
• Cyfyrder - second cousin (m)
• Cyfyrderes - second cousin (f)
• Daw - son-in-law
• Ewythr - uncle
• Hen Ewythr - great uncle
• Ffrind - friend
• Gor-Nai - great nephew
• Gor-Nith - great niece
• Gwaudd - daughter-in-law
• Gweddw - widow
• Llyschwaer - stepsister
• Mab-yng-nghyfraith - son-in-law
• Mabmaeth / mab maeth - foster-son
• Mabwysiadol - adopted
• Mam-yng-nghyfraith - mother-in-law
• Merch-yng-nghyfraith - daughter-in-law
• Modryb - aunt
• Hen Fodryb - great aunt
• Nai - nephew
• Nith - niece
• Plentyn Bach - infant or little child
• Tlotyn - pauper
• Ymgeleddwr or Ymgeleddwyr - guardian
• Yng-nghyfraith - in-law

Occupations

• Addysgydd - tutor
• Athro / Athrawes - teacher (male / female)
• Addysgydd - Tutor
• Cog / cogydd / cogyddes - Cook /male / female
• Bardd - poet, bard
• Bugail - shepherd
• Cariwr - carrier
• Cerddor - musician
• Crydd - shoemaker, cobbler
• Cyfreithiwr - solicitor, lawyer
• Chwarelwr - quarryman
• Dilledydd -tailor, draper
• Disgybl - pupil
• Dysgwr - apprentice or learner
• Forwyn (mutation of Morwyn) - maid, or servant (female)
• Ffermwr - farmer
• Garddwr - gardener
• Glöwr - collier
• Gwas - servant (male)
• Gwas ffarm - farm lad
• Gwasanaethwr or Gwasanaethydd - servant (male)
• Gweinyddes - attendant or nurse
• Mamaeth - wet-nurse, foster-mother or nurse
• Masnachydd - merchant
• Meistr - master or boss
• Meistr tir - landlord (of property)
• Melinydd - miller
• Morwyn - maid or servant (female)
• Mwynwr - miner
• Nyrs - nurse
• Preswylydd - dweller, inhabitant or inmate
• Saer Coed - carpenter
• Saer Maen - stone mason
• Tafarnwr - publican
• Telynor - harpist
• Trigiannydd - inmate or resident
• Ysgolfeistr - schoolmaster
• Ysgolhaig or Ysgolor - scholar
• Ysgrifennydd - secretary

Scripture Quotations

• Ac yn eu marwolaeth, ni wahanwyd hwy - And in their death, they were not divided [2 Samuel 1:23]
• Cofia nawr dy Greawdwr yn nyddiau dy ieuenctid - Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth
• Coffadwriaeth y cyfiawn sydd fendigedig - The memory of the just is blessed [Proverbs 10:7]
• Canys byw i mi yw Crist a marw sydd elw - For me, to live is Christ and dying is gain
• Da, was da a ffyddlon - Well done, thou good and faithful servant [Matthew 25:21]
• Ei diwedd oedd heddwch - Her end was peace
• Gadewch i blant bychain ddyfod ataf fi - Let the little children come to me [Marc 10:14]
• Gorffwys mewn hedd - Rest in peace
• Gwyliwch gan hynny am na wyddoch pa awr y daw eich Arglwydd - Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come [Matthew 24:42]
• Gwyn eu byd y meirw, y rhai sydd yn marw yn yr Arglwydd - Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord [Revelations 14:13]
• Gwyn eu byd y tangnefeddwyr, canys hwy a elwir yn blant i Dduw - Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God
• Hedd, Perffaith Hedd - Peace, Perfect Peace
• Mi a ymdrechais ymdrech deg. Mi a orphenais fy ngyrfa. Mi a gedwais y ffydd. - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [Timothy 4:7]
• Ynghanol ein bywyd, yr ydym yn angau - In the midst of life we are in death
• Yr hyn a allodd hon, hi a'i gwnaeth - She hath done what she could [Mark 14:8]
• Gwyn eu byd y rhai pur o galon, canys hwy a welant Dduw - Blessed are the pure of heart, for they see God [Matthew 5:8]
• Yr Arglwydd a brydfertha y rhai llednais ag iachawdwraith - The Lord will beautify the meek with salvation [Psalm 149:4]
• Tŵr cadarn yw enw yr Arglwydd, atto y rhod y cyfiawn, ac y mae yn ddiogel - The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe [Proverbs 18:10]
• Nid fy ewyllys i, ond dy ewyllys di a gyflawner - not my will, but yours be done [Luke 22:42]

General Phrases

• (Yn) Mewn angof ni chânt fod - Their deeds will not die
• Er cof am - In memory of
• Er cof an(n)wyl am - In loving memory of
• Er parchus cof am - In respectful memory of
• Er serchus cof am - In loving (affectionate) memory of
• Yma gorphwys (gorffwys) rhan farwol - Here lie the mortal remains of
• a fu farw (bu farw) - who died
  • yn 34 mlwydd oed aged 34 years
  • yn 15 mis oed aged 15 months
• hefyd - also
• eto / etto - again
• yr uchod - the above
• y rhag grybwylledig - the aforementioned
• y rhagenwyd / rhagddywededig - the aforementioned
• (yr hwn) a hunodd - who fell asleep (died)
• hunodd yn yr Iesu - asleep in Jesus (died)
• aeth attynt - joined them (the ancestors; died)
• o'r lle hwn - of this place
• o'r plwyf hwn - of this parish
• yn y plwyf hwn - in this parish
• dau o blant - two children
• yn eu mabandod / babandod - in infancy
• hedd perffaith hedd - peace perfect peace
• gorffwys (yn gorffwys) mewn hedd - rest in peace
• yn hyn a allodd hon hi a'i gwnaeth - she did all that she could
• coffadwriaeth y cyfiawn sydd fendigaid - blessed is the memory of the righteous
• Gogoniant i Dduw yn y Goruchaf - Glory to God in the Highest
• un o'r ffyddloniaid heddychol- one of the peaceful faithful