Sewent is an ancient
Anglo-Saxon surname that 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 Sewent family
The surname Sewent 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]CITATION[CLOSE]
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Early History of the Sewent family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sewent research.
Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1216, 1575, 1652, 1640, 1615, 1685, 1655, 1702, 1675 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Sewent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sewent 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. Sewent has been recorded under many different variations, including Salwey, Sewyn, Selwyn, Selwin, Sallowaye and others.
Early Notables of the Sewent family (pre 1700)
Notables of this surname at this time include: Geoffrey Salewey of Stafford; Arthur Salwey of Stanford Court at Stanford-on-Teme, Worcestershire; his son, Humphrey Salwey (1575-1652), an English politician, Member of Parliament for...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sewent Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Sewent family to the New World and Oceana
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 Sewent or a variant listed above: William and Thomas Salwey settled in Philadelphia in 1683.
The Sewent 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.