Show ContentsSloewyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Among the clans of the Scottish/English Borderlands, the Strathclyde Britons were the first to use the name Sloewyn. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Sluaghadhán. Sloewyn is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. The surname Sloewyn is derived from the given name Sluaghadhán, which derived from the Gaelic word, sluaghadh, and meant, raid.

Early Origins of the Sloewyn family

The surname Sloewyn was first found in Kirkcudbrightshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Chille Chuithbheirt), part of the present day Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, former county in Southwestern Scotland, where they held a family seat. Johnn Slowane of Garoche was a juror on assize at Kirkcudbright in 1508.

Other early records include a William Slowane, who held a tenement near Dalkeith, in Midlothian in 1504.

The name has also existed in Ireland since at least the 15th Century, when bearers of Sloane emigrated to eastern Ulster, in Armagh and Down. However, there is some debate that the name also has native Irish roots, and had existed in Ireland prior to this emigration.

One source notes that the name is "from Irish O'Sluaghain, for O'Sluaghadain, 'descendant of SLaghadan,' probably a variant of O'Sluaghodhaigh, from the MIr. personal name Sluagadach, leader of a military expedition.' " 1

Early History of the Sloewyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sloewyn research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1531, 1542, 1562, 1565, 1567, 1568, 1590, 1613, 1616, 1659, 1660, 1727, 1741, 1753 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Sloewyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sloewyn Spelling Variations

Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Sloewyn has been spelled Sloan, Sloane, Slowan and others.

Early Notables of the Sloewyn family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sloewyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Sloewyn family to Ireland

Some of the Sloewyn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 111 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sloewyn family

Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. Among them: Ann Sloan who settled in Maryland in 1722; James Sloan settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1772; Mrs. Sloan settled in Savannah, Georgia in 1823.



  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook