Latinized Salceto; from Sassy, in the arrondissement of Avranches, near Pontorsin; sometimes spelt Sacie, and given as Saussai on the Dives Roll. The “sire de Sassy” figures among the combatants at Hastings in Wace’s Roman de Rou. “The name appears in the Battle Abbey Roll, but we have no further account of the lineage in England.” - Sir Francis Palgrave. This is scarcely correct, for two barons of the name are entered in Domesday: “Osbernus de Salceid,” holding in Devon, and “Radulphus de Salceit,” holding in Hereford, whose descendants are to be met with in many parts of the country. Another Ralph de Salcei was seated in Gloucestershire 1155-1158 (Rotul. Pip.): and in 1189-90 Rogo de Saci held of the Bishop of Winchester; Robert de Salceio was of Buckinghamshire, and William de Salceio of Oxfordshire. Kiddington, in the latter county, came into their possession “soon after the Conquest. They were a family of high rank and distinction, though unnoticed in history, and were seized of very considerable lands and jurisdictions, not only in Oxfordshire, but in Buckinghamshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Hereford­shire and Northamptonshire, where I am of opinion that Salcey Forest took its name from them.” - Warton's Antiquities of Kiddington. It is supposed that the old church of Kiddington (of which the chancel only is now left) was built by one of them in the reign of Stephen; and they presented to this church, as well as to that of Asterley, in 1221 and 1232. “It is probably owing to the defect of the Lincoln registers, that we do not find much earlier presentations from this family to these benefices. About the year 1200, Sibill de Saucey married Richard de Willescote, or Williamscote, who, dying before or during 1232, left his son Thomas heir.” - Antiquities of Oxfordshire. They were seated at Harpole in Northamptonshire. Adeline, the heiress of Norman de Montfautrel, was the mother of Sir Robert de Saucei, Sheriff of the county 7 Hen. II., whose son, another Sir Robert, left five daughters his co-heirs. Baker's Northants.

In Leicestershire Anketin de Saucey gave his name to Newbold-Saucey, a parcel of the fee of Harcourt; and Overton-Saucey passed to Simon de Saucey from the Bernevilles. The heir of Robert de Saucey held, in 1240, of the Honour de Ferrers; and Simon, in 1287, was a benefactor of Ouston Abbey; his son Robert and his grandson Robert confirmed the grant. Their residence was in the neighbourhood of Newbold, at Saucey, or Sauvay Castle, between Laund and Withcote; afterwards the seat of Lord Basset of Weldon. In old deeds the name is sometimes written Salcey. “I find,” says Nicholls, “by the pedigree of Archer of Tamworth, that William Archer (whose grandson died in 1299) married Margery, daughter and heir of Sir John Sawcy of Orton-Sawcy, co. Leicester. This family had large possessions in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, which fell amongst co-heirs in or about Henry III.” Lastly, we find Emeric de Sacy, early in the thirteenth century, holding Burton-Sacey (Burton Stacy it is now called) and Newton-Sacey in Hampshire, with lands at Pembere and Selborne. Burton Sacey, with its belongings, was held by new feoffment as one knight’s fee. Some of his estate was by gift of Henry III.: and it further appears, from a grant made in 1224 at Southampton, that he enjoyed a yearly pension of ₤20. “In 1221, the Sheriff of Hants was ordered to proclaim that, unless sufficient cause should be shown to the contrary, the day of the market in the manor of Emeric de Sacey de Burton should be changed from Saturday to Friday. Some years later, we find Richard le Hayward, one of Emeric’s men (the hayward of his manor, in fact) trespassing against the men of Burton, and taken into the custody of the Sheriff.” - Woodward's Hampshire. In 1324 the Sacy lands had passed - probably through an heiress - to the Coudreys.