Gaining royal favour and high honours and distinction from an early date, bearers of the Williams name have stamped an indelible mark on the pages of the historical record.
• From the diverse worlds of politics and literature to the stage, sport and music, some have achieved fame and others notoriety.
• Born in the hamlet of Gwynfe, Carmarthenshire in 1840, John Williams, more formally known as Sir John Williams, 1st Baronet, was not only a physician to Queen Victoria but also a principal founder of the National Library of Wales, in Aberystwyth.