User:Goronwy

The origin of the surname is a derivative of the given name of the father or a “patronymic” as is the case with most of the old Welsh surnames. Some names are derived without change. For instance, the Celtic first name Goronwy – (gohr-ON-wee) from the Welsh gwy “man” became a surname in a few rare instances, some in the fairly recent past. However appearing in 15th Century records comes an Anglicised version of the name - Goronw (gohr-ON-oo) & Gronw (GROHN-oo) & finally Gronow (GRON-o).

Given its origins there are many families in different parts of the World who have no connection to others bearing their surname.

An early reference to Goronwy appears in two Medieval Welsh manuscripts, the White Book of Rhydderch (Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch) written AD 1300-1325, and the Red Book of Hergest (Llyfr Coch Hergest) written 1375-1425 (The Mabinogion) although fragments of these tales have been preserved in earlier thirteenth century manuscripts. Scholars agree that the tales are older than the existing manuscripts, but disagree over just how much older. In one of the stories Math used his magic wand to create the loveliest woman out of flowers. She was named Blodeuedd. Math had Blodeuedd marry Lleu, and gave him the cantrev of Dinoding to live in. The marriage did not last, because during Lleu's absence, Blodeuedd met a hunter named Goronwy the Staunch, lord of Penllyn. Blodeuedd fell in love with Goronwy. Together they plotted to rid of Lleu.

Various spellings can be found in documents and the researcher should be wary not to include or discount these sources, some of which include: Greeno, Grono, Gronnah, Grunna, Grunnah, Grunnow, Garnowe, Groneaux, Garnow, Geronow, Greenow, Gryony.

The Gronow surname also originates independently in Europe - mainly Poland & Germany. (1)

(1)http://www.one-name.org/profiles/gronow.html

All the information derives from the webiste as shown above and so this is a mere simple way finding the information, as more people tend to turn to wikipedia rather than random websites accesible by a search engine or URL.