Southway Family History

From Southway in Wells (Somerset), a hamlet that took its name from the boggy road that once formed part of the principal route between Bristol and Exeter running through Wells. Where it crossed the moor from Wells, it was described in the 12th century as ‘a watery track which is called Sugewey' (Old English *sug(g)a ‘swamp bog’ + Old English weg). The first element of the place-name and surname contains the derived or related Middle English word sow or so(u)ghe (later pronounced south) ‘swamp bog’. By the end of the 15th century, the road had been causewayed.

This name is derived from one or more of the minor places named with Middle English bi southe wey ‘(place) to the south of the road’, such as Southway in Tamerton Foliot, in Whitestone, and in Widdecombe in the Moor, all in Devon. This type of prepositional place-name formation is especially common in Devon (see Place-Names of Devon p. xxxvii).

But it is also found in other southern counties. To illustrate this, compare other similar names such as Northway, Norden, and Sowden.