Show ContentsSolem History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Solem is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of the Britain and comes from the baptismal name Soloman, which was an ancient personal name. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames. The surname Solem also has origins as a nickname for a man who was considered to be wise or fortunate.

Early Origins of the Solem family

The surname Solem was first found in Surrey where they were Lords of the manor of Caterham from ancient times. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from Selham, a small village in the Chichester district of West Sussex. The village dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Seleham and literally meant "homestead by a copse of sallow-trees." [1]

A scan of early rolls revealed Ailricius Seliman in the Pipe Rolls for 1169 for Northumberland, Thomas Selman in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275 for Wiltshire, John Seliman in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 for Cambridgeshire, Robert Salyman in the Subsidy Rolls for Essex in 1327 and Claricia Selimaon and Henry Selmon in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcester for 1327. [2]

Early History of the Solem family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Solem research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1240, 1303, 1371, 1390, 1411, 1414, 1426, 1435, 1468, 1541 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Solem History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Solem Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Solem has been spelled many different ways, including Saleman, Salman, Selman, Selyman, Seleman and others.

Early Notables of the Solem family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Thomas Soulemont, Soleman or Solme (died 1541), was French secretary to Henry VIII, a member of a prominent Guernsey and Jersey family and is said to have been born at Guernsey, but was more probably...

Solem Ranking

In the United States, the name Solem is the 16,720th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]


United States Solem migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Solems to arrive in North America:

Solem Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Torger Solem, aged 26, who arrived in New York, NY in 1843 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Solem (post 1700) +

  • Morrell R. Solem, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 3rd District, 1955-56 [5]
  • Ludwig Oliver Solem (b. 1881), American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 33rd District, 1917-18 [5]
  • H. G. Solem, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 10th District, 1915-16 [5]
  • Custer Solem, American politician, Independent Candidate for U.S. Senator from North Dakota, 1958 [5]


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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