This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Edward.' It is a curious thing to note that while our Richardsons, Williamsons, and Harrisons can be numbered by thousands, Edwardson has always been a very rare surname. The shorter Edwards has monopolized everything. Yet Williams, Richards, and Harris have not been put down by their longer brethren.

William Edward, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Adam Edward, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Willelmus Edward, taylour, 1379: ibid.

Ricardus Edward, 1379: ibid.

John Edwardson, of Bold, 1594: Wills at Chester.

Roger Edwardson, of Kenyon, 1624: ibid. (1621-50).

1415. Robert Edward: Cal. of Wills in Court of Husting (2).

1600. Married — Richard Edwardson and Elizabeth Harford: St. James, Clerkenwell.

From the Old English personal name Eadweard, 'happy ward' or guardian.' The seal of George Edward, 1441, is described by Macdonald (842). Watty Edwerd was tenant of part of the burcht of Kethik, 1504 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 256), Andreas Edwaird in Murthlac, 1550 (Illus., II, p. 262), Thomas Edward, merchant burgess of Linlithgow, 1637 (Retours, Linlithgow, 134), and Alexander Edward, writer in Edinburgh, 1688 (Inquis., 6925). John Edward, tanner burgess of Edinburgh, 1722 (Guildry, p. 125). The name was early confused with Udahd, which see, and Peter (Baronage of Mearns) says the old name of the family of Edward of Balruddery in Angus was Uduard. Edwart 1634.

'son of Edward,' which see.

EDWARDSON: 'son of Edward,' which see. George Edwardson or Edwardeson of Edinburgh who had safe conducts to travel in England in 1486 and 1490 (Bain, IV, 1517, 1558) is doubdess the George Edwardsoun, burgess of Edinburgh in 1495 (Home, 25; CRA., p. 422), and juror on an inquest at West Reston in the same year (Home, 27).

Edward’s Son: v. Edward.

The personal name, which has given rise as surnames to Edwards, Ethards, Edwardson, Tedd, and perhaps to Edes, Edkins, &c.

This name is so common that more than two hundred and fifty London traders bear it. In the Registrar-General's List it occupies the twentieth place for frequency, there being for every four Smiths or Joneses about one Edwards, or 25 per cent. Many families of Edwards and Edwardes are of Welsh patrician origin. For example, Edwards of Nanhoron descends from one of the royal tribes of Wales through Sir Griffith Lloyd and Sir Howell y Fwyallt; Edwards of Ness Strange descends from Einion Effel, lord of Cynllaeth, co. Montgomery, 1182; Edwards of Old-Court, co. Wicklow, claims from Roderick the Great, king of all Wales in 843, through his younger son, Tudwall Gloff or "the lame," whose descendants settled in Ireland in the XVII. century. It may seem remarkable that such a thoroughly Saxon name should occur so frequently in Welsh families of ancient blood, but it must be remembered that settled surnames do not appear among the Welsh till within the last two or three centuries, long after the prejudices against our early Edwards had passed away. See Edwardes.

Good nature.

(Saxon.) Happy keeper.

Edwards. —A name exceedingly numerous in North and South Wales and in the adjacent English counties of Shropshire, Hereford, and Monmouth. Outside this area, its frequency diminishes very suddenly; it may be said, however, to be fairly distributed through England south of a line drawn from the Wash to the Mersey, not one of the counties north of this line occurring in my list. Strangely enough, however, it reappears in Scotland north of the Forth and the Clyde. Lower says that this surname, though now so numerous in Wales, was probably not generally assumed by Welshmen until within the last two or three centuries, after the prejudices against the early Edwards had passed away.

Edward Counsell, of Allerton, was transported to Barbadoes for participating in the Monmouth rebellion of 1685 (H.), a punishment pronounced by history to be no disgrace. Mr. John Counsel, of Mark, gave, in 1730, a sum of £10, the interest to be distributed amongst the "second poor" on Christmas Day for ever (C.). A family of Counsel lived at Stoughton, in Wedmore parish, last century (C.). The name is still represented in the parish of Mark.