Samwel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Samwel was spawned by the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture that ruled a majority of Britain. It 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 Samwel of English descent.

Early Origins of the Samwel family

The surname Samwel 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 Samwel family

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

Samwel Spelling Variations

Samwel has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Samwel have been found, including Samwell, Samuel, Samuell, Samway, Samuels and others.

Early Notables of the Samwel 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...

Migration of the Samwel family to Ireland

Some of the Samwel 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 Samwel family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Samwels to arrive on North American shores: 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..