This article is about the particular significance of the year 1838 to Wales and its people.

• Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey^[1][2][3][4]
• Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Penry Williams^[5][6]
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Peter Drummond-Burrell, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby^[7]
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – William Edward Powell^[2]
• Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – George Rice, 3rd Baron Dynevor
• Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet
• Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster^[8]
• Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute^[9]
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet^[10]
• Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Capel Hanbury Leigh^[11]
• Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis^[12]
• Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet^[13]
• Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – George Rodney, 3rd Baron Rodney^[14][2][15]

• Bishop of Bangor – Christopher Bethell^[16][17]
• Bishop of Llandaff – Edward Copleston^[18]
• Bishop of St Asaph – William Carey^[19][20][18]
• Bishop of St Davids – John Jenkinson^{[18][21][22][23]}

• October - John Frost joins the Chartist movement.
• Newly created baronets include Sir John Josiah Guest, Sir Benjamin Hall and Sir John Edwards.
• John Cory of Devon opens his chandlery near the Custom House in Cardiff.
• Thomas Gee joins his father's printing business.
• Tinplate manufacture at Ystalyfera begins.
• Wrexham Infirmary established.
• Foundation of the Bangor Church Building Society.

• A major eisteddfod is held at Abergavenny.^[24]

• 14 April - John Thomas, photographer (d. 1905)
• 8 December - Charles Gresford Edmondes, clergyman and teacher (d. 1893)^[26]
• 27 December - James Conway Brown, musician (d. 1908)

• 23 January - Pascoe Grenfell, industrialist and politician, 76^[27]
• 14 March - Wyndham Lewis, MP, 57^[28]
• 19 July - Christmas Evans, preacher, 71^[29]
• 26 August - Sir John Nicholl, politician and judge, 79^[30]
• 18 September - Griffith Williams (Gutyn Peris), poet, 69^[31]
• 26 December - Julia Ann Hatton, novelist, 74^[32]

• 1838 in Ireland