Selwin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Selwin

What does the name Selwin mean?

The name Selwin is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came 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 Selwin family

The surname Selwin 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 Selwin family

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

Selwin 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 Selwin include Salwey, Sewyn, Selwyn, Selwin, Sallowaye and others.

Early Notables of the Selwin 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 Selwin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Selwin family

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: William and Thomas Salwey settled in Philadelphia in 1683.

Contemporary Notables of the name Selwin (post 1700) +

Selwin Calverley (1855-1900), English silver medalist sailor at the 1900 Summer Olympics

The Selwin 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.