Swall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Swall

What does the name Swall mean?

The name Swall reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Swall family lived in Yorkshire, at Swale. The River Swale is found in Yorkshire and is a major tributary of the River Ure, which becomes the River Ouse, that empties into the North Sea. The Swale is a tidal channel of the Thames estuary. "Swale" is Old English word that is believed to mean "swirling, rushing river", or "rushing water."

Early Origins of the Swall family

The surname Swall was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Swale from ancient times. Although the Manor does not appear in the Domesday Book in 1086, the first recorded date is of John Swale who held the Lordship. He married Alice, daughter of Gilbert de Gaunt, and related to John of Gaunt about 1150. At this time he held the manor of West Grenton or Grinton in Swaledale.

Other early records of the name in Yorkshire include: William Over Swale who was listed here in 1306; William de Swale who was listed in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1359; and John Swayles who was listed as a Freeman of York in 1635. 1

South Stainley in the West Riding of Yorkshire was an ancient family seat. "This place was the property of Sir Solomon Swale, who suffered severely for his loyalty during the parliamentary war, and was presented with the first baronetcy conferred after the Restoration. Sir Solomon, in those unsettled times, having neglected to sue out a renewal of the lease by which he held some property under the crown, a chancery clerk, noticing the omission, obtained it for himself, and involved the Baronet in a litigation which, in a few years, ended in his becoming a prisoner in the king's bench, where he died of a broken heart. Stainley Hall, the ancient family seat, is now a ruin." 2

The Swale Baronetcy of Swale Hall in the County of York, was a title in the Baronetage that was created on 21 June 1660 for Solomon Swale (1610-1678), Member of Parliament for Aldborough. This line continued becoming either extinct or dormant on the death of the fourth Baronet some time after 1741.

Early History of the Swall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swall research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1603, 1606, 1608 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Swall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swall Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Swall family name include Swales, Swale, Swalles, Swaile, Swailles, Swailes and many more.

Early Notables of the Swall family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Richard Swale (1545?-1608), English civilian, born in Yorkshire about 1545, son of Thomas Swale of Askham-Richard in Yorkshire. "Swale was knighted by James I at Whitehall on 23 July 1603. On 28 May 1606...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Swall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swall migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Swall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Margaret Swall, (b. 1862), aged 20, Scottish settler travelling from Scotland (possible Greenock) aboard the ship "Wellington" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th March 1883, heading for Invercargill 3

The Swall 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: Jesu, esto mihi Jesus
Motto Translation: Jesus, be my Savior

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html