Sawnday History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Sawnday belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in the residence that was near the sands. Sawnday is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages people were very conscious of the variations in their surroundings including the soil types. In this case the original bearers of the surname Sawnday were named due to their close proximity to the sands.

Early Origins of the Sawnday family

The surname Sawnday was first found in Worcestershire at Wickhamford, a parish, in the union of Evesham, Upper division of the hundred of Blackenhurst. "The church [of Wickhamford] is an exceedingly neat edifice, with a simple unpretending tower which rises prettily above the trees that environ it: in the chancel are two enriched altar-tombs with effigies in alabaster, in memory of the Sandys family, whose descendant, Lord Sandys, in 1841 repaired the entire church." 1 "About a mile from the church [of Woodham-Ferris in Essex] is Edwin Hall, a handsome mansion erected by Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York." 1

"At Lanarth, [in the parish of St. Keverne, Cornwall] which has been in possession of the Sandys family upwards of a century, an elegant house has been lately built by its present proprietor Lieutenant Colonel William Sandys, who spent the spring of his life in India, in those active scenes which mark and diversify the military occupation. His house, gardens, and grounds, have been raised to their present state of perfection at a vast expence; and they include every convenience which a retired situation can be expected to secure." 2

Early History of the Sawnday family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sawnday research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1377, 1519, 1559, 1560, 1570, 1576, 1577, 1586, 1588, 1591, 1607, 1609, 1614, 1615, 1621, 1622, 1623, 1640, 1642, 1644, 1660, 1661, 1669, 1681, 1685, 1702 and 1708 are included under the topic Early Sawnday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sawnday 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 Sawnday include Sandys, Sands, Sandy and others.

Early Notables of the Sawnday family

Notables of the family at this time include Edwin Sandys (1519-1588), an English prelate, Bishop of Worcester (1559-1570), London (1570-1576) and Archbishop of York (1576-1588) Archbishop of York; his son, George Sandys (1577-1644), an English traveler, colonist and poet; Sir Samuel Sandys (1560-1623), an English landowner and politician, Member of Parliament for Ripon (1586) and Worcestershire (1609-1622); Sir Edwin Sandys (1591-1623)...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sawnday Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sawnday family to Ireland

Some of the Sawnday family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sawnday family

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 Sawnday were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: David Sands who settled in Virginia in 1620; followed by George in 1623; William in 1623; Mary in 1648; Ellen Sands settled in New York State in 1804.

The Sawnday 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: Probum non poenitet
Motto Translation: We do not repent of what is good.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print