Evans

In medieval Wales, the Welsh form of 'John'- 'Iefan'- became a popular first name and many people identified as being 'ap Iefan'(son of Iefan). When English naming conventions were adopted, Iefan was anglicized to 'Evan', and eventually the Evans surname became a common Welsh surname.

The Evans surname is derived from the Welsh personal name 'Iefan', which is the Welsh form of 'John', meaning 'God is gracious'. 

In Wales, the Evans surname is most commonly found in Powys(Central Wales) and Carmarthenshire in the Southwest.  

In the US, we find the Evans name most commonly in1. Missouri2. Pennsylvania3. Washington D.C.4. Virginia 

John Thomas Evans - Adventurer, Map-maker, Explorer(searched for evidence of Madog's settlements and Welsh-speaking Native-Americans)- Lewis Evans - Map maker, early explorer of Ohio