NameCensus.

UK surname

Selway

An English locational surname derived from a place called Selway near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

In the 1881 census there were 800 people recorded with the Selway surname, ranking it #4,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,159, ranked #5,092, down from #4,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Radstock and Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Sedgemoor and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Selway is 1,216 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.9%.

1881 census count

800

Ranked #4,654

Modern count

1,159

2016, ranked #5,092

Peak year

1999

1,216 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Selway had 800 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,159 in 2016, ranked #5,092.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,174 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Selway surname distribution map

The map shows where the Selway surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Selway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Selway over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 548 #4,617
1861 historical 553 #4,760
1881 historical 800 #4,654
1891 historical 946 #4,377
1901 historical 962 #4,885
1911 historical 1,174 #3,982
1997 modern 1,190 #4,740
1998 modern 1,204 #4,864
1999 modern 1,216 #4,865
2000 modern 1,212 #4,858
2001 modern 1,180 #4,873
2002 modern 1,198 #4,910
2003 modern 1,170 #4,907
2004 modern 1,179 #4,881
2005 modern 1,156 #4,920
2006 modern 1,162 #4,898
2007 modern 1,162 #4,941
2008 modern 1,157 #4,982
2009 modern 1,182 #4,999
2010 modern 1,185 #5,101
2011 modern 1,208 #4,942
2012 modern 1,148 #5,095
2013 modern 1,186 #5,043
2014 modern 1,191 #5,057
2015 modern 1,186 #5,024
2016 modern 1,159 #5,092

Geography

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Where Selways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Radstock, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Sedgemoor and Caerphilly. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Radstock Somerset
3 Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 002 Mendip
2 Sedgemoor 013 Sedgemoor
3 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor
4 Caerphilly 022 Caerphilly
5 Caerphilly 023 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Selway

These lists show first names that appear often with the Selway surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Selway

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Selway, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Selway surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Selway household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Selway is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Selway is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Selway falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Selway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Selway, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Selway

The surname Selway has its origins in the English counties of Cumbria and Lancashire, where it was derived from the old English words "sele" meaning a hall or mansion, and "wæge" meaning a way or path. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or along the path leading to a prominent hall or manor house.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Selewaye in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176. Variations of the spelling included Seleway, Selewey, and Selwaye. These early records indicate the name was well-established in northern England by the 12th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are no direct mentions of the Selway name, but there are references to places like Selby and Selwood that may have influenced the name's evolution. The name is also linked to the village of Selway in Cumbria, which was first documented as Selewath in 1179.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Selway, a merchant from Lancashire who was active in the late 13th century. Another early example is Richard Selway, who was recorded as a landowner in Cumbria in 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Selway name appeared in various records across northern England. Notable individuals included Thomas Selway (1557-1614), a wealthy landowner in Yorkshire, and William Selway (1631-1692), a prominent lawyer and judge in Lancashire.

In the 18th century, the name spread further across England and into Scotland. One famous bearer was Captain James Selway (1753-1819), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. Another was Sir John Selway (1786-1855), a Member of Parliament and industrialist from Derbyshire.

In the 19th century, the Selway family produced several notable figures, including the explorer and naturalist Edward Selway (1818-1892), who documented the flora and fauna of Australia, and the author and poet Emily Selway (1842-1912), known for her romantic novels set in the English countryside.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Selway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Selway surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 257 Selways recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.41x.

County Total Index
Somerset 257 20.41x
Devon 139 8.54x
Middlesex 70 0.89x
Glamorgan 65 4.77x
Gloucestershire 59 3.85x
Surrey 36 0.94x
Monmouthshire 29 5.13x
Hampshire 23 1.43x
Kent 21 0.79x
Yorkshire 18 0.23x
Sussex 17 1.29x
Durham 14 0.60x
Lancashire 13 0.14x
Cheshire 8 0.46x
Midlothian 7 0.67x
Warwickshire 7 0.35x
Dorset 5 0.97x
Wiltshire 5 0.72x
Hertfordshire 3 0.56x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.61x
Essex 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.31x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 25 Selways recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.13x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 25 21.13x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 25 17.31x
Radstock 21 253.62x
Walcot 18 26.84x
Islington London 17 2.24x
Ottery St Mary 17 159.18x
Wellow 16 432.43x
Branscombe 14 627.80x
St Marylebone London 14 3.35x
Yeovil 13 50.80x
Portsea 12 3.82x
West Derby 12 4.42x
Bridgewater 11 32.17x
Camberwell 11 2.20x
Llantrisant 11 32.04x
Normanton 11 47.21x
Shepton Mallet 11 77.85x
Ashwick 10 490.20x
Bath St James 10 76.10x
Binegar 10 1388.89x
Monckton Combe 10 248.14x
North Petherton 10 98.43x
Roath 10 16.16x
Bristol Temple 9 89.11x
Bedwellty 8 8.01x
Bristol St Paul In 8 19.57x
Chilton 8 110.04x
Clutton 8 293.04x
Monmouth 8 53.33x
St George Hanover 8 7.83x
Uffculme 8 164.95x
West Pennard 8 396.04x
Aberavon 7 55.82x
Aberdare 7 7.49x
Cotleigh 7 1521.74x
Kensington London 7 1.61x
Llanwonno 7 14.30x
Luppitt 7 434.78x
Midsomer Norton 7 59.02x
Polesworth 7 74.71x
Rockbeare 7 555.56x
Aberystruth 6 12.04x
Bickleigh 6 375.00x
Duddingston 6 28.52x
Dunkeswell 6 571.43x
Newington 6 2.08x
Sidmouth 6 64.38x
Tiverton 6 21.39x
Tythegston Higher 6 145.28x
Withycombe Rawleigh 6 70.75x
Aylesbeare 5 211.86x
Bath St Michael 5 78.62x
Betshanger 5 2777.78x
Cardiff St Mary 5 6.66x
Clapham 5 5.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 3.17x
Farway 5 649.35x
Hastings St Mary 5 15.23x
Horfield 5 32.38x
Sidbury 5 143.27x
Silverton 5 147.49x
St Pancras London 5 0.79x
Stogursey 5 147.93x
Wandsworth 5 6.64x
Weston Zoyland 5 279.33x
Basingstoke 4 21.69x
Bromley 4 9.83x
Chelsea London 4 1.70x
Clifton 4 5.16x
East Grinstead 4 21.42x
Eastbourne 4 6.59x
Henllys 4 444.44x
Lee 4 10.32x
Llandaff 4 8.83x
Llanishen 4 320.00x
Portbury 4 190.48x
Stanton Drew 4 325.20x
Timsbury 4 104.71x
Upottery 4 205.13x
West Cranmore 4 526.32x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Selway surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 49
Sarah 29
Elizabeth 28
Eliza 21
Alice 17
Ann 17
Annie 12
Emma 12
Ellen 11
Charlotte 10
Jane 10
Louisa 9
Emily 8
Fanny 8
Maria 8
Harriet 6
Margaret 6
Martha 6
Bessie 5
Hannah 5
Julia 5
Mabel 5
Matilda 5
Susan 5
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Lily 3
Lydia 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Charlott 2
Deborah 2
Dinah 2
Ethel 2
Frances 2
Georgina 2
Gertrude 2
June 2
Laura 2
Lilly 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Minnie 2
Selina 2

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Selway surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 45
Henry 41
James 40
John 39
George 27
Charles 17
Alfred 12
Edward 10
Joseph 10
Thomas 10
Albert 7
Richard 7
Edwin 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 6
Walter 6
David 5
Frank 5
Arthur 4
Tom 4
Willm. 4
Cornelius 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Oliver 3
Robert 3
Elisha 2
Emmanuel 2
Ernest 2
Jno. 2
Sydney 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Chas. 1
Elcho 1
Elija 1
Elijah 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Hamilton 1
Handy 1
Herbert 1
Howell 1
Moses 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Raguel 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Selway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Selway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 800 people were recorded with the Selway surname. That placed it at #4,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Selway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,159 in 2016. That gives Selway a modern rank of #5,092.

What does the Selway surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place called Selway near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

What does the Selway map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Selway bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.