Swaylow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Swaylow

What does the name Swaylow mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Swaylow family name to the British Isles. They lived in Lincolnshire, in the parish of Swallow.

Early Origins of the Swaylow family

The surname Swaylow was first found in Lincolnshire where they were anciently Lords of the manor of Swallow, originally Saulun, shown in the Domesday Book survey of 1086 as being held by Alfred of Lincoln, from Count Alan, from the Bishop of Bayeux and the Archbishop of York. Conjecturally, this family name is descended from Alfred, the first Lord of the Manor in 1066.

Early History of the Swaylow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swaylow research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1650 and 1666 are included under the topic Early Swaylow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swaylow Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Swallow, Swalow, Swallowe, Swaylow and others.

Early Notables of the Swaylow family

More information is included under the topic Early Swaylow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Swaylow family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Swaylow or a variant listed above: James Swallow arrived in Pennsylvania in 1774; William Swallow arrived in Pennsylvania in 1868.