History of your Surname
Get access to Salway family records.Start a free trial

Salway Family History

Salway Name Meaning

English (Somerset and Devon): from the Middle English personal name Salewi Selawy probably from Old English Sǣlwīg (sǣl ‘happiness prosperity’ + wīg ‘battle’). The name may sometimes have been confused with Selwyn . Americanized form of French Salois .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Solway, Alway, Alday, Salman, Sala, Salva, Soloway, Gadway, Salas

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Salway family from?

You can see how Salway families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Salway family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Salway families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1880 there were 7 Salway families living in Indiana. This was about 22% of all the recorded Salway's in USA. Indiana had the highest population of Salway families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Salway surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Salway ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Salesgirl were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Salway. 35% of Salway men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Salway women worked as a Salesgirl. Some less common occupations for Americans named Salway were Machine Operator and Farmer. .

View Census Data for Salway | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    35%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Machine Operator
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Salesgirl
    60%
  • Farmer
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Salway family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Salway. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Salway census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Salway

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Salway. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Salway immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 773 military records available for the last name Salway. For the veterans among your Salway ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Salway military records

You've only scratched the surface of Salway family history

Discover More

What is the average Salway lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Salway life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Salway in 1943 was 27, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Salway

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Salway family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Salway last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial