Vaughn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Vaughn is derived from the Welsh words fychan, vychan, and bychan, which all mean small or little. The name was sometimes used to distinguish the younger of two bearers of the same personal name; and in other instances, it may have been a nickname, applied ironically, to a tall person.

Early Origins of the Vaughn family

The surname Vaughn was first found in Shropshire, where they were descended from Tudor Trevor, the Earl of Hereford, and Lord of Maylors. His wife was descended from Howel Dda, King of South Wales, in 907. Descended was Gronwy, Earl of Hereford, through a series of Lords of Maylors and Oswestry. They descended to John Vaughan, son of Rhys Ap Llewellyn, of Plas Thomas in Shrewsbury.

Howel Vychan (Howel the Little) (d. 825) was a Welsh prince, said to have been son of Rhodri, a reputed descendant of Cunedda and king of Gwynedd or North Wales. 1

Later, Vychan (Vaughan the Little) (fl 1230-1240), was a Welsh statesman and warrior who seems to have been the most trusted counsellor of Llewelyn ab Iorwerth. “In 1231, he signed a truce between Henry III and Llewelyn. In legendary history Ednyved is very famous, and stories are told how he slew three English chiefs in a hard fight. He became the ancestor of many leading Welsh families, and among them of the house of Tudor. He is said to have married, first, Gwenllian, daughter of the Lord Rhys of South Wales, and, secondly, the daughter of Llywerch ab Bran. By each of these ladies he had numerous offspring.” 1