Find out how popular the last name Salway is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Salway.

Salway, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Salway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salway in America

Salway is the 35057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salway surname appeared 643 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Salway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salway to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Salway

The surname Salway is of English origin, deriving from a locational name associated with the village of Salway in Lancashire. It likely emerged sometime in the 12th or 13th century. The name is believed to stem from the Old English words "sælh" meaning willow tree and "wæg" meaning path or way, suggesting the name refers to a willow-lined path or road.

Early variations of the spelling included Salwey, Salweye, and Salewei. The name appears in records as early as the 13th century, with references to a Roger de Salwey in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279. The Salway family can also be found mentioned in the Wills at Chester dating back to 1554.

One notable figure was Sir Henry Salway (c.1592-1672), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the 17th century. Another was Richard Salway (1764-1838), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 16th century, the Salway family held lands in Staffordshire, with records indicating John Salway as a landowner in Swinfen and Whittington around 1550. The name is also associated with the village of Salway Ash in Shropshire, which likely derived its name from the Salway family who resided there.

Other historical figures with the Salway surname include John Salway (1693-1763), an English printer and publisher in the 18th century, and Thomas Salway (1758-1838), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Guernsey.

The Salway name has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, reflecting its origins as a locational surname derived from a willow-lined path or road in the county of Lancashire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salway

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Salway.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Salway was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Salway has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Salway was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Salway, please contact us.

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