# Caernarfon (UK Parliament constituency)

Caernarfon was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Caernarfon in Wales. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP).
The constituency was created in 1536 as a District of Boroughs, represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950. The District of Boroughs was abolished in 1950, and replaced with a county constituency of the same name, which was itself abolished in 2010.

## History

Known as Carnarvon until 1832, and then as the Carnarvon Boroughs or Carnarvon District of Boroughs from 1832 to 1950 and as Caernarvon from 1950 to 1983, it is named after Caernarfon, the main town within the constituency. Its most famous member was David Lloyd George, who was MP for 55 years. When Lloyd George became prime minister in 1916 it became the first Welsh constituency to be represented by a serving prime minister. Plaid Cymru held the seat continuously from 1974 until its abolition in 2010, longer than they have held any other seat.

## Boundaries

The constituency names, in this section, follow the format and the spelling used by F. W. S. Craig in his British Parliamentary Election Results series. Variations may be found in other sources.

### Caernarvon 1536–1832

On the basis of information from several volumes of the History of Parliament, it is apparent that the history of the borough representation from Wales and Monmouthshire is more complicated than that of the English boroughs.
The Laws in Wales Act 1535 (26 Hen. 8. c. 26) provided for a single borough seat for each of 11 of the 12 Welsh counties and Monmouthshire. The legislation, which was passed in 1536 (using the modern civil year starting on 1 January), was ambiguous as to which communities were enfranchised. The county towns were awarded a seat, but this in some fashion represented all the ancient boroughs of the county, as the others were required to contribute to the member's wages. It is not clear if the burgesses of the contributing boroughs could vote. The only election under the original scheme was for the 1542 parliament. It seems that only burgesses from the county towns actually took part. The Parliament Act 1543 (35 Hen. 8. c. 11) confirmed that the contributing boroughs could send representatives to take part in the election at the county town. As far as can be told from surviving indentures of returns, the degree to which the out boroughs participated varied, but by the end of the 16th century all the seats had some participation from them at some elections at least.
The original scheme was modified by later legislation and decisions of the House of Commons, which were sometimes made with no regard to precedent or evidence: for example in 1728 it was decided that only the freemen of the borough of Montgomery could participate in the election for that seat, thus disenfranchising the freemen of Llanidloes, Welshpool and Llanfyllin.
In the case of Caernarvonshire (now Caernarfonshire), the county town was Caernarvon (now known as Caernarfon). The out boroughs were Conway (now Conwy), Criccieth (or Cricieth), Nevin (now known as Nefyn), and Pwllheli. The freemen of the five boroughs were entitled to vote. In the 1715–1754 period there were estimated to be about 1,600 freemen, of whom about 1,200 were non-resident. Later in the 18th century the estimated electorate was about 1,000 freemen.

### Caernarvon Boroughs 1832–1950

The Caernarvon Boroughs was a district of boroughs constituency, which grouped a number of parliamentary boroughs in Caernarvonshire into one single member constituency. The voters in each participating borough cast ballots, which were added together over the whole district to decide the result of the poll. The enfranchised communities in this district, from 1832, were the six boroughs of Caernarvon, Bangor, Conway, Criccieth, Nevin, and Pwllheli.
The exact boundaries of the parliamentary boroughs in the district were altered by the Boundary Act 1868, but the general nature of the constituency was unchanged. There were no further boundary changes in the 1885 redistribution of parliamentary seats.
In 1918 the constituency was redefined, to include the then local government areas of the Municipal Boroughs of Bangor, Caernarvon, Conway, and Pwllheli; the Urban Districts of Criccieth, Llandudno, Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr, as well as the parish of Nevin.
From 1918 to 1950 the administrative county of Caernarvonshire was divided into two seats: Caernarvon Boroughs and a Caernarvonshire county constituency. The territory of the borough seat was enclaved within the county constituency. Different local authorities, included in the borough constituency, were not necessarily adjoining.

### Caernarvon 1950–1983

The redistribution, which took effect in 1950, created two Caernarvonshire county divisions – Caernarvon in the south-western two thirds of the county and Conway (later spelt Conwy) in the north-eastern third. The new divisions included territory which had come from both of the two old seats.
The local authorities, whose territories were combined to form the constituency in 1950, were the Municipal Boroughs of Caernarvon, and Pwllheli; the Urban Districts of Criccieth, and Portmadoc; as well as the Rural Districts of Gwyrfai and Lleyn. This arrangement was not altered by the redistribution which took effect in February 1974, which was based on the pre-1974 local government boundaries.
From 1 April 1974, a new pattern of counties was created in Wales. This constituency became part of the county of Gwynedd.

### Caernarfon from 1983

In the redistribution of 1983, the spelling of the official name of the constituency was changed. The constituency boundary was unchanged, but it was redefined in terms of the local authorities created in 1974. It comprised the Borough of Arfon wards numbered 8 to 12 and 16 to 29, together with the District of Dwyfor.
In 1996 Welsh local government was again reorganised. Arfon and Dwyfor became part of a Gwynedd unitary authority.
The Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1995, based on the pre-1996 local authority areas, came into effect in 1997. It defined this constituency as:-
(i) The following wards of the Borough of Arfon, namely, Bethel, Bontnewydd, Cadnant, Deiniolen, Llanberis, Llandwrog, Llanllyfni, Llanrug, Llanwnda, Menai (Caernarfon), Peb-lig, Penisarwaun, Penygroes, Seiont, Talysarn, Waunfawr and Y Felinheli; and
(ii) the District of Dwyfor.
Following radical boundary changes undertaken by the Boundary Commission for Wales, this seat was abolished in time for the general election in 2010, replaced by Arfon and part of Dwyfor Meirionnydd.

## Members of Parliament 1536–2010

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1542 | John Puleston | |
| 1545 | Robert Gruffydd | |
| 1547 | Robert Puleston | |
| 1553 (Mar) | Gruffydd Davies | |
| 1553 (Oct) | Henry Robins | |
| 1554 (Apr) | Henry Robins | |
| 1554 (Nov) | Sir Rhys Gruffydd | |
| 1555 | Sir Rhys Gruffydd | |
| 1558 | Robert Gruffydd | |
| 1558–9 | Maurice Davies | |
| 1563 | John Harington | |
| 1571 | John Griffith | |
| 1572 | John Griffith | |
| 1584 | Edward Griffith | |
| 1586 | William Griffith I | |
| 1588 | Robert Wynn | |
| 1593 | Robert Griffith | |
| 1597 | John Owen | |
| 1601 | Nicholas Griffith | |
| 1604 | John Griffith, died replaced by Clement Edmondes | |
| 1614 | Nicholas Griffith | |
| 1621 | Nicholas Griffith | |
| 1624 | Peter Mutton | |
| 1625 | Edward Littleton, sat for Leominster replaced by Robert Jones | |
| 1626 | Edward Littleton, sat for Leominster replaced by Robert Jones | |
| 1628 | Edward Littleton | |
| 1640 April | John Glynne | |
| 1640 November | William Thomas, disabled 1644 | |
| 1647 | William Foxwist | |
| Not represented in Parliaments of 1653, 1654 and 1656 | Not represented in Parliaments of 1653, 1654 and 1656 | Not represented in Parliaments of 1653, 1654 and 1656 |
| 1659 | Robert Williams | |
| 1660 | William Glynne | |
| 1661 | William Griffith | |
| 1679 | Thomas Mostyn | |
| 1685 | John Griffith | |
| 1689 | Sir Robert Owen | |
| 1698 | Sir John Wynn, Bt | |
| 1705 | Thomas Bulkeley | |
| 1708 | William Griffith | |
| 1713 | Sir Thomas Wynn, Bt | |
| 1749 | Sir William Wynn | |
| 1754 | Robert Wynne | |
| 1761 | Sir John Wynn, Bt | |
| 1768 | Glyn Wynn | |
| 1790 | Lord Paget | |
| 1796 | Hon. Edward Paget | |
| 1806 | Hon. Sir Charles Paget | |
| 1826 | Lord William Paget | Whig |
| 1830 | William Ormsby-Gore | Tory |
| 1831 | Hon. Sir Charles Paget | Whig |
| 1833 | Owen Jones Ellis Nanney | Tory |
| 1833 | Hon. Sir Charles Paget | Whig |
| 1835 | Sir Love Jones-Parry | Whig |
| 1837 | William Bulkeley Hughes | Conservative |
| 1846 | William Bulkeley Hughes | Peelite |
| 1859 | Charles Wynne | Conservative |
| 1865 | William Bulkeley Hughes | Liberal |
| 1882 | Love Jones-Parry | Liberal |
| 1886 | Edmund Swetenham | Conservative |
| 1890 | David Lloyd George | Liberal |
| 1916 | David Lloyd George | Coalition Liberal |
| 1922 | David Lloyd George | National Liberal |
| 1923 | David Lloyd George | Liberal |
| 1945 By-election | Seaborne Davies | Liberal |
| 1945 | David Price-White | Conservative |
| 1950 | Goronwy Roberts | Labour |
| Feb 1974 | Dafydd Wigley | Plaid Cymru |
| 2001 | Hywel Williams | Plaid Cymru |
| 2010 | Constituency abolished: see Arfon (UK Parliament constituency) | Constituency abolished: see Arfon (UK Parliament constituency) |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Ormsby-Gore | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1831: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Charles Paget | 274 | 50.9 |
| | Tory | William Ormsby-Gore | 264 | 49.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10 | 1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 538 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1832: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles Paget | 410 | 53.0 | +2.1 |
| | Tory | Owen Jones Ellis Nanney | 363 | 47.0 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 47 | 6.0 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 773 | 90.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 855 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +2.1 | |
* On petition, the election of Paget was declared void and Nanney was declared elected. The returning officer had included votes at Pwllheli which were not eligible, and these were deducted, leading to Nanney receiving 353 votes and Paget 343 votes. On a further petition, Paget was declared elected instead of Nanney.
General election 1835: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Love Jones-Parry | 378 | 51.9 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Owen Jones Ellis Nanney | 350 | 48.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 3.8 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 728 | 79.4 | −11.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 917 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −1.1 | |
General election 1837: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Bulkeley Hughes | 405 | 51.3 | +3.2 |
| | Whig | Charles Henry Paget | 385 | 48.7 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 2.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 790 | 71.9 | −7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,099 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +3.2 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Bulkeley Hughes | 416 | 51.8 | +0.5 |
| | Whig | George Paget | 387 | 48.2 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 3.6 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 803 | 78.6 | +6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,021 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
General election 1847: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | William Bulkeley Hughes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 888 | | |
| | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | William Bulkeley Hughes | 369 | 57.2 | N/A |
| | Radical | Richard Davies | 276 | 42.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 14.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 645 | 74.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 861 | | |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | William Bulkeley Hughes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 919 | | |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold |
General election 1859: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Wynne | 380 | 53.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal | William Bulkeley Hughes | 328 | 46.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 708 | 76.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 929 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Bulkeley Hughes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,070 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
General election 1868: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Bulkeley Hughes | 1,601 | 60.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Thomas John Wynn, 5th Baron Newborough | 1,051 | 39.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 550 | 20.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,652 | 78.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,376 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Bulkeley Hughes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,833 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Bulkeley Hughes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,157 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Hughes' death caused a by-election.
By-election, 30 Mar 1882: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Love Jones-Parry | 2,037 | 77.4 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal | Robert Sorton-Parry | 596 | 22.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,441 | 54.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,633 | 62.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,223 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1885: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Love Jones-Parry | 1,923 | 50.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Edmund Swetenham | 1,858 | 49.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,781 | 84.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,476 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1886: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edmund Swetenham | 1,820 | 51.9 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | Love Jones-Parry | 1,684 | 48.1 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 3.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,504 | 78.3 | −6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,476 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.8 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

By-election 1890: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 1,963 | 50.2 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Hugh Ellis-Nanney | 1,945 | 49.8 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 0.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,908 | 89.5 | +11.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,366 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.1 | |
General election 1892: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 2,154 | 52.4 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | John Henry Puleston | 1,958 | 47.6 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 4.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,112 | 87.1 | +8.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,723 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.3 | |
General election 1895: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 2,265 | 52.2 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | Hugh Ellis-Nanney | 2,071 | 47.8 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 194 | 4.4 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,336 | 88.8 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,881 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.2 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 2,412 | 53.3 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Henry Platt (banker) | 2,116 | 46.7 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 296 | 6.6 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,528 | 87.0 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,202 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
General election 1906: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 3,221 | 61.7 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | R A Naylor | 1,997 | 38.3 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,224 | 23.4 | +16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,218 | 92.1 | +5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,668 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +8.4 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 3,183 | 60.2 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | Hugh Corbet Vincent | 2,105 | 39.8 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,078 | 20.4 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,288 | 92.5 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.5 | |
General election December 1910: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 3,112 | 62.0 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | A L Jones | 1,904 | 38.0 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,208 | 24.0 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,288 | 87.7 | −4.8 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.8 | |
General election 1918: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 13,993 | 92.7 | +30.7 |
| | Independent | Austin Harrison | 1,095 | 7.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,898 | 85.4 | +61.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,088 | 63.4 | −24.3 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +23.4 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | David Lloyd George | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold |
General election 1923: Carnarvon Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 12,499 | 63.1 | N/A |
| | Unionist | Austin Ellis Lloyd Jones | 7,323 | 36.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,176 | 26.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,822 | 80.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1924: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 16,058 | 82.5 | +19.4 |
| | Labour | Alfred Zimmern | 3,401 | 17.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,657 | 65.0 | +38.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,459 | 77.0 | −3.9 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.0 | |
General election 1929: Caernarvon Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 16,647 | 58.0 | −24.5 |
| | Unionist | John Bowen Davies | 7,514 | 26.2 | New |
| | Labour | Thomas Ap Rhys | 4,536 | 15.8 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,133 | 31.8 | −33.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,697 | 81.8 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −25.3 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 17,101 | 59.3 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | F.P. Gourlay | 11,714 | 40.7 | +14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,387 | 18.6 | −13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,815 | 80.3 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −6.6 | |
General election 1935: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Lloyd George | 19,242 | 66.6 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | A.R.P. Du Cros | 9,633 | 33.4 | −7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,609 | 33.2 | +14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,873 | 77.4 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +7.3 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

By-election 1945: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Seaborne Davies | 20,754 | 75.2 | +8.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru | John Edward Daniel | 6,844 | 24.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,910 | 50.4 | +17.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,598 | 58.8 | −18.6 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −8.1 | |
General election 1945: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Price-White | 11,432 | 32.9 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal | Seaborne Davies | 11,096 | 32.0 | −34.6 |
| | Labour | Elwyn Jones | 10,625 | 30.6 | New |
| | Plaid Cymru | John Edward Daniel | 1,560 | 4.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 336 | 0.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,713 | 73.8 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +17.1 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 18,369 | 49.1 | +18.5 |
| | Liberal | Elwyn Rhys Thomas | 7,791 | 20.9 | −11.1 |
| | Conservative | G. W. Williams | 6,315 | 16.9 | −16.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | John Jones | 4,882 | 13.1 | +8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,578 | 28.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,357 | 85.9 | +12.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.3 | |
General election 1951: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 22,375 | 62.4 | +13.3 |
| | Conservative | John E B Davies | 13,479 | 37.6 | +20.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,896 | 24.8 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,854 | 82.5 | −3.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.7 | |
General election 1955: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 17,682 | 50.2 | −12.2 |
| | Conservative | O Meurig Roberts | 8,461 | 24.0 | −13.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Robert Jones | 5,815 | 16.5 | New |
| | Liberal | D. Geraint Williams | 3,277 | 9.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,221 | 26.2 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,235 | 82.4 | −0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
General election 1959: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 17,506 | 51.0 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Tom Hooson | 9,564 | 27.8 | +3.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Orwig Jones | 7,293 | 21.2 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,942 | 23.2 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,363 | 83.4 | +1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.5 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Caernarvon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 17,777 | 54.4 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Shelagh Roberts | 7,915 | 24.2 | −3.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Robert E Jones | 6,998 | 21.4 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,862 | 30.2 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,690 | 80.38 | −3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 40,671 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
General election 1966: Caernarvon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 17,650 | 56.11 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | Roger Prys | 6,972 | 22.16 | −2.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Humphrey Roberts | 6,834 | 21.7 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,678 | 33.9 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,456 | 78.40 | −2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 40,121 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Caernarvon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 13,627 | 40.1 | −16.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Robyn Léwis | 11,331 | 33.4 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | Kathleen J. Smith | 6,812 | 20.1 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal | John A. Williams | 2,195 | 6.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,296 | 6.8 | −27.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,965 | 81.7 | +3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Caernarvon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 14,103 | 40.5 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Goronwy Roberts | 12,375 | 35.6 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Tristan Garel-Jones | 5,803 | 16.7 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal | Gerald Hill David | 2,506 | 7.2 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,728 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,787 | 82.4 | +0.7 |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Caernarvon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 14,624 | 42.6 | +2.1 |
| | Labour | Emlyn Jones Sherrington | 11,730 | 34.1 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | Robert Lambart Harvey | 4,325 | 12.6 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal | Dewi Williams | 3,690 | 10.7 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,894 | 8.5 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,369 | 80.9 | −1.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | +1.7 | |
General election 1979: Caernarvon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 17,420 | 49.7 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Thomas Merfyn Hughes | 8,696 | 24.8 | −9.3 |
| | Conservative | James Edward Thornton Paice | 6,968 | 19.9 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal | John Trevor Edwards | 1,999 | 5.7 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,724 | 24.9 | +16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,083 | 81.5 | +0.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | +8.2 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 18,308 | 52.7 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Dennis Jones | 7,319 | 21.1 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | Betty Williams | 6,736 | 19.4 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal | Owain Griffiths | 2,356 | 6.8 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,989 | 31.6 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,719 | 78.6 | −2.9 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 20,338 | 57.1 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Felix Aubel | 7,526 | 21.1 | 0.0 |
| | Labour | David Williams | 5,652 | 15.9 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal | John Parsons | 2,103 | 5.9 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,812 | 36.0 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,619 | 78.0 | −0.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 21,439 | 59.0 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Peter E.H. Fowler | 6,963 | 19.2 | −1.9 |
| | Labour | Sharon Mainwaring | 5,641 | 15.5 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert W. Williams | 2,101 | 5.8 | −0.1 |
| | Natural Law | Gwyndaf Evans | 173 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,476 | 39.8 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,317 | 80.1 | +2.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
General election 1997: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wigley | 17,616 | 51.0 | −8.0 |
| | Labour | Eifion Wyn Williams | 10,167 | 29.5 | +14.0 |
| | Conservative | Elwyn Williams | 4,230 | 12.3 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Macqueen | 1,686 | 4.9 | −0.9 |
| | Referendum | Clive Collins | 811 | 2.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,449 | 21.5 | −18.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,510 | 73.7 | −6.4 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | −11.2 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Hywel Williams | 12,894 | 44.4 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Martin Eaglestone | 9,383 | 32.3 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Bronwen Naish | 4,403 | 15.2 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Evan Ab-Owain | 1,823 | 6.3 | +1.4 |
| | UKIP | Ifor Lloyd | 550 | 1.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,511 | 12.1 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,053 | 62.0 | −11.7 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | −4.7 | |
General election 2005: Caernarfon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Hywel Williams | 12,747 | 45.5 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | Martin Eaglestone | 7,538 | 26.9 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Evan Ab-Owain | 3,508 | 12.5 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Guy Opperman | 3,483 | 12.4 | −2.8 |
| | UKIP | Elwyn Williams | 723 | 2.6 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,209 | 18.6 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,999 | 60.4 | −1.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | +3.3 | |