Sammwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Sammwell is a name that dates far back into the mists of early British history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Samuel. This ancient Hebrew font name meaning name of God was not common in the Middle Ages, but was not necessarily of Jewish origin. There were many records of the surname Sammwell of English descent.

Early Origins of the Sammwell family

The surname Sammwell was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from early times. The family name first appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Sammwell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sammwell research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1551, 1559, 1569, 1628, 1654, 1674, 1676, 1689, 1690, 1694, 1705 and 1748 are included under the topic Early Sammwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sammwell Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Sammwell are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Sammwell include: Samwell, Samuel, Samuell, Samway, Samuels and others.

Early Notables of the Sammwell family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Samuel (fl. 1551-1569), English divine and poet, perhaps connected with the Samwells of Northampton; Sir William Samwell (1559-1628), Auditor of the Exchequer to Queen Elizabeth I of England; William Samwell (1628-1676) was an English architect; and Sir Thomas Samwell, 1st Baronet (c.1654-1694), Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire from 1689 to 1690 and Northampton from 1690 to 1694. Edward Samuel (1674-1748), Welsh...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sammwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sammwell family to Ireland

Some of the Sammwell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sammwell family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Sammwell or a variant listed above: John Samuel settled in Nantasket in 1630; Roger Samuel settled in Barbados in 1684; Edward Samuel settled in Virginia in 1643; Rowland Samuell settled in Barbados in 1654..