Samwayes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Samwayes family name is linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes 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 Samwayes of English descent.

Early Origins of the Samwayes family

The surname Samwayes 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 Samwayes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Samwayes 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 Samwayes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samwayes Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Samwayes include Samwell, Samuel, Samuell, Samway, Samuels and others.

Early Notables of the Samwayes 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 Samwayes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Samwayes family to Ireland

Some of the Samwayes 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.

Samwayes migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Samwayes were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Samwayes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Sarah Samwayes, who arrived in Virginia in 1663 1

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)