Surname Ogwynn - Meaning and Origin

Ogwynn: What does the surname Ogwynn mean?

The meaning of the last name Ogwynn is largely unknown, though it appears to be of Welsh origin. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "og," which translates to "young" or "unmarried," and "wynn," which translates to "fair" or "blessed." Together, these words may have been used to describe someone who was young and blessed, or favored by fate.

The name is believed to have been in use in Wales since at least the medieval period, though the exact origins of the name remain a mystery. The surname is a variation of the more common Welsh surname "Owens," though the two names mean different things; Owens is derived from the Old Welsh word "Owain," which translates to "youth" or "warrior."

Ogwynn appears to have been used mainly in Wales, though it can be found in parts of England as well. Those with Ogwynn as a surname are likely to have some connection to the country of Wales, even if it was through a distant ancestral line.

Despite its uncertain origins, Ogwynn has been an important part of Welsh history, and today there are still many Welsh people bearing the surname Ogwynn. The creed of those with the name remains: be young; be blessed; be favored by fate.

Ogwynn: Where does the name Ogwynn come from?

The last name Ogwynn is not commonly found today, although it is possible to find members of that family in various parts of the world, including countries in the United Kingdom and in the United States.

The lineage of the Ogwynn family is believed to have originated in England or Wales, with their lineage reaching back to the eleventh century. During the reign of King William II, a Norman knight, Walter Ogwynn, is said to have been among those in King William’s army that conquered England. As a result, many of the Ogwynn family settled in England and Wales in the centuries that followed.

The descendants of this Norman family eventually migrated to the United States in the early 1700s and the Ogwynn surname is now found in several states across the country. Particularly in the states of Virginia and Pennsylvania, the Ogwynn name is found in many records spanning the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

However, today, the Ogwynn name is not a commonly found surname. Research estimates that there are somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 individuals still living with the Ogwynn name. Therefore, it tends to be a rarer surname today.

Variations of the surname Ogwynn

Ogwynn is a surname found mainly in the United Kingdom, but can also be seen in records in the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries. It is commonly spelled Ogwin, Ogwen, Ogywnn, Ogwenn, Ogwinn and a few other variants. The name most likely originates from the Old Irish and Gaelic "O hOgain" meaning "Descendant of Ogan".

Most of the variants of this surname have evolved via Irish and Scots-Irish sources, although Ogwynn has remained somewhat constant. It is thought to have derived from the pre-10th century Ogan, which is also a Gaelic name. This could be a diminutive of Mac Ogan, the son of Ogan, or it could be a version of Ogmios, the god of communication and eloquence, so Ogwynn might essentially mean "Winner of Eloquence".

Distant relatives may have taken on the Ogwynn name via different spellings at different times. This is likely why you find various spellings of the name, such as Ogwin, Ogwen, Ogywnn, Ogwenn, Ogwinn and some other alternate spellings. However, all of these variants are considered to be of the same origin.

Famous people with the name Ogwynn

• Davey Ogwynn: professional skydiver and BASE jumper
• Neil Ogwynn: professional footballer
• John Ogwynn: British traveler and writer
• Jason Ogwynn: American actor and singer
• Reginald Ogwynn: English classical composer and organist
• Robert Ogwynn: Canadian-born British inventor and photographer
• Barry Ogwynn: Australian designer and illustrator
• Edmund Ogwynn: British politician
• William Ogwynn: 17th century Bishop of Bangor
• John Ogwynn: 19th century English lawyer and Conservative Party politician

Other surnames

Ogwyn