Selvin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Selvin

What does the name Selvin mean?

The history of the name Selvin begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the personal name Saelwig which is an Old English word meaning prosperity war. The personal name Saelwig was an ancient font name that was brought to England by the Normans. After the Norman Conquest, the Old English naming system gradually dissolved. Old English names became less common and were replaced by popular continental European names. The earliest surnames in England were found shortly after the Norman Conquest and are of Norman French rather than native English origins.

Early Origins of the Selvin family

The surname Selvin was first found in Staffordshire where "about the reign of Henry III, William Salwey was Lord of Leacroft, a hamlet in the parish of Cannock in Staffordshire; hence the family removed to Stanford in Worcestershire; of which John Salwey was owner in the third of Henry IV." 1

Early History of the Selvin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Selvin research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1216, 1575, 1615, 1640, 1652, 1655, 1675, 1685 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Selvin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Selvin Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Selvin has been recorded under many different variations, including Salwey, Sewyn, Selwyn, Selwin, Sallowaye and others.

Early Notables of the Selvin family

Arthur Salwey of Stanford Court at Stanford-on-Teme, Worcestershire; and his son, Humphrey Salwey (1575-1652), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Worcestershire (1640), buried in Westminster Abbey; Richard Salwey (1615-1685?) an English politician, the fourth son of Humphrey Salwey...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Selvin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Selvin family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Selvin or a variant listed above: William and Thomas Salwey settled in Philadelphia in 1683.

The Selvin 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: Fiat voluntas dei
Motto Translation: The will of God be done.

Sources +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.