Swayze History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Swayze family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Yorkshire, at Swale.

Early Origins of the Swayze family

The surname Swayze was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Swale from ancient times. Although the Manor does not appear in the Domesday Book in 1086 the first recorded date is of John Swale who held the Lordship. He married Alice, daughter of Gilbert de Gaunt, and related to John of Gaunt about 1150.

At this time he held the manor of West Grenton or Grinton in Swaledale. South Stainley in the West Riding of Yorkshire was an ancient family seat. "This place was the property of Sir Solomon Swale, who suffered severely for his loyalty during the parliamentary war, and was presented with the first baronetcy conferred after the Restoration. Sir Solomon, in those unsettled times, having neglected to sue out a renewal of the lease by which he held some property under the crown, a chancery clerk, noticing the omission, obtained it for himself, and involved the Baronet in a litigation which, in a few years, ended in his becoming a prisoner in the king's bench, where he died of a broken heart. Stainley Hall, the ancient family seat, is now a ruin." 1

Early History of the Swayze family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swayze research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1603, 1606, 1608 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Swayze History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swayze Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Swayze were recorded, including SWales, Swale, Swalles, Swaile, Swailles, Swailes and many more.

Early Notables of the Swayze family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Richard Swale (1545?-1608), English civilian, born in Yorkshire about 1545, son of Thomas Swale of Askham-Richard in Yorkshire. "Swale was knighted by James I at Whitehall on 23 July 1603. On 28 May 1606...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Swayze Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swayze Ranking

In the United States, the name Swayze is the 11,941^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Swayze migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Swayze arrived in North America very early:

Swayze Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Elizah Swayze, who arrived in Mississippi in 1798 3

Swayze migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Swayze Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Caleb Swayze U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 4
Mr. Caleb Swayze Sr., U.E. who was killed before settling in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 4
Mr. Aaron Swayze U.E., (Sweezey) who settled in Canada c. 1784 4
Mr. Isaac Swayze U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1786 he was a Pilot for the New York Army 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Swayze (post 1700) +

Patrick Swayze (1952-2009), American three-time Golden Globe Award nominated actor, best known for his leading roles the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost
Yvonne Helen "Patsy" Swayze (1927-2013), American film choreographer, dancer, and dance instructor, mother of actors Patrick Swayze and Don Swayze
Isaac Swayze (1751-1828), American-born, Canadian captain during the War of 1812, politician and pioneer nurseryman, eponym of the Swayze Pomme Gris apple
John Cameron Swayze (1906-1995), American two-time Primetime Emmy Award nominated news commentator
Marc Swayze, American comic book writer
Don Swayze (b. 1958), American actor and stunt person, younger brother of the late Patrick Swayze

The Swayze Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Jesu, esto mihi Jesus
Motto Translation: Jesus, be my Savior

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X