This very interesting surname is locational. Its origination is olde English and Norse-Viking pre 7th Century, whilst its derivation is not at all what it seems, and in fact refers to 'one who resided at the Sale-way'. i.e. the road (way) that ran past the 'Sael or Sale', an early word for a large house or hall. Similar surnames are Greenway, Holloway, and Bithaway, and all describe some local feature or a hamlet of cottages, which were grouped around the 'main' road. The name appears to have originated in the West Country, as do most of these 'way' surnames, and if there was an actual village so-called, this seems to be no longer the case. The Solway Firth, between Scotland and England, being (now) the only geographical reference, but perhaps not surprisingly, this does not seem to have been the 'birthplace' of any nameholders. All early recordings are from Somerset, and these include John Seleway, in the 1350 'regis rolls' of Somerset, and John Selewye, in the same rolls, both being in the reign of King Edward 111, 1327 - 1377. The surname has been found recorded in the spellings of Sallowaye, Solloway and Solway, Hercules Hale marrying Mary Soloway at St James Church, Clerkenwell, in 1669, whilst in 1752 William Solway married Mary Mackey at St Georges Chapel, Mayfair, London. The coat of arms has the blazon of a red field charged with a gold engrailed saltire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Saleway. which was dated 1273, in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset. during the reign of King Edward 1, known as the Hammer of the Scots, 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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