Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales Genealogy

A guide to genealogy in Llanelli, with information on where to find birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial records; census records; wills; cemeteries; maps; etc.

Llanelli is a town and ecclesiastical parish in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is the largest town in the county.

Before 1974 the village was in the historic county of Carmarthenshire and, between 1974 and 1996 in the County of Dyfed. In 1996 it became part of the modern county of Carmarthenshire.

The redundant spelling of Llanelly can be seen is some older documents.

History
LLANELLY (LLAN-ELLI), an incorporated sea-port and market town, a parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of CARNAWLLON, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH MILES, 15 miles (S.E. by S.) from Carmarthen, on the road to Swansea, and 216 (W. by N.) from London. This place, which appears to be of great antiquity, derives its name from its church being dedicated to St. Elliw. The town is situated on the northern bank of the Loughor river and though formerly described as a small and insignificant place, inhabited chiefly by sailors and persons employed in the adjacent coal-mines, has, from the convenience of its situation on a navigable river, and from the richness of the mineral productions of its vicinity in iron, coal, and limestone, risen into manufacturing and commercial importance, and is still rising rapidly in population and extent. The parish contains about twenty thousand acres, and is divided into five hamlets, called the Borough, Berwick, Glyn, Hengoed, and Westoac; about one third part of the land is arable, under the cultivation of wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes, and the remainder pasture and wood. There was a chapel in each of the five hamlets into which the parish is divided: of these, the chapel in the borough, the only one remaining entire, at present forms the chancel of the parish church. There are three places of worship for Baptists, and one each for Independents and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists.

For more information on Llanelli see Llanelli at Genuki.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Llanelli at Vision of Britain.