Selwyn

S1E1L1W4Y4N1

proper noun

A surname transferred from the given name.

Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A surname transferred from the given name.
  2. A male given name from Old English transferred back from the surname, in quiet use since the 19th century.
  3. Any of a number of places in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and US.
    1. A river in Canterbury, New Zealand, named after Bishop George Selwyn; in full, Selwyn River.
    2. A small settlement on the south side of the river in Canterbury, New Zealand.
    3. A territorial authority of Canterbury, New Zealand, named after the river; in full, Selwyn District.
    4. A locality, formerly a mining town in the Shire of Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia, named after the Selwyn Range.
    5. A locality in Alpine Shire, north eastern Victoria, Australia.
    6. A township in Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada, renamed from Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield in 2013.
    7. An unincorporated community in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States.
  4. abbreviationellipsisinformalCambridge UniversityEllipsis of Selwyn College, Cambridge.

Origin

From the Middle English form of Latin Silvanus. Also from the Old English given name Selewine, from sel (“hall”) + wine (“friend”). The places are named after bearers of the surname.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 塞爾温
  • 塞爾温 (Sāi'ěrwēn)surname
Māori Herewini, Herewini
  • Herewinisurname
  • Herewinigiven name
  • Herewiniplace name
Cite this entry
APA

Selwyn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Selwyn

MLA

“Selwyn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Selwyn. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Selwyn,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Selwyn.

Source: Selwyn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.