Syllyman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Syllyman is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came 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 Syllyman also has origins as a nickname for a man who was considered to be wise or fortunate.

Early Origins of the Syllyman family

The surname Syllyman 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 Syllyman family

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

Syllyman Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Syllyman include Saleman, Salman, Selman, Selyman, Seleman and others.

Early Notables of the Syllyman family

Notables of the family at this time include John Selman (died 1426), English politician, Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle (1390-1411); and John Selman (fl.1414-1435), English politician, Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle (1414-1435.)Thomas Soulemont, Soleman or...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Syllyman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Syllyman migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Syllyman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Billy Syllyman, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 3
John Syllyman, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 3

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)