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Another one of the popular welsh surnames that became popular in Wales from the 15th century onwards after its popularity as a first name. Modern users of the surname sometimes take on the more phonetic Welsh version of Tomos.
Famous people with the Welsh surname Thomas include:
Dylan Thomas – A famous Welsh writer who died whilst staying in New York’s Chelsea hotel after a lifetime of heavy drinking and writing classic literature like ‘Under Milk Wood’.
RS Thomas – A Welsh writer, poet and radical political priest.
Gareth Thomas – International rugby player for Wales and the first openly gay professional rugby union player.
A patronymic name from the Welsh first name Tudur. The most famous inheritors of the name became the Welsh Tudor monarchy and dynasty that were in power over the whole of Britain and Ireland from 1485 until 1603. Tudor is also used as a first name, as is Tudur. Other variant of spelling are Tidder, Tither and Tutor.
Famous people with the Welsh surname Tudor include:
The Tudor dynasty – Ruling Welsh dynasty of Britain from 1485 to 1603.
Henry VII (Welsh: Harri Tudur; 28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509) – He was King of Britain and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor.
Henry Tudor (VIII) – Ruler of Britain at the head of the Welsh Tudor dynasty in the 16th century. Besides being one of the most well known,controversial and revered rulers of Britain and having had six marriages, Henry VIII is known for his role in the separation of the Church in England and Wales from the Roman Catholic Church which led to the separation from papal authority in Rome. He also became ruler of Ireland. Henry was an educated and accomplished man as well as being an author and composer. He ruled with absolute power.
Henry is also traditionally cited as one of the founders of the Royal Navy. His reign featured some naval warfare and, more significantly, large royal investment in shipbuilding (including a few spectacular great ships such as Mary Rose), dockyards (such as HMNB Portsmouth) and naval innovations (such as the use of cannon on board ship. Henry’s reign marked the birth of the naval power of Britain and was a key factor in Britain’s later victory over the Spanish Armada. Henry strengthened existing coastal defense fortresses such as Dover Castle and, at Dover, Moat Bulwark and Archcliffe Fort, which he personally visited for a few months to supervise. He built a chain of new castles (large bastioned and garrisoned gun batteries) along Britain’s southern and eastern coasts from East Anglia to Cornwall, largely built of material gained from the demolition of the monasteries. These were known as Henry VIII’s Device Forts.
