NameCensus.

UK surname

Swain

A surname of English origin referring to a young male servant or attendant, often a squire.

In the 1881 census there were 5,768 people recorded with the Swain surname, ranking it #765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,018, ranked #826, down from #765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Derbyshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swain is 8,652 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.0%.

1881 census count

5,768

Ranked #765

Modern count

8,018

2016, ranked #826

Peak year

1998

8,652 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swain had 5,768 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,018 in 2016, ranked #826.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Swain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swain 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 3,686 #772
1861 historical 3,607 #776
1881 historical 5,768 #765
1891 historical 6,162 #749
1901 historical 7,114 #775
1911 historical 8,189 #609
1997 modern 8,362 #762
1998 modern 8,652 #763
1999 modern 8,645 #772
2000 modern 8,590 #773
2001 modern 8,372 #775
2002 modern 8,565 #772
2003 modern 8,332 #780
2004 modern 8,283 #784
2005 modern 8,034 #797
2006 modern 8,004 #805
2007 modern 8,063 #805
2008 modern 8,113 #801
2009 modern 8,304 #802
2010 modern 8,379 #809
2011 modern 8,243 #808
2012 modern 8,065 #812
2013 modern 8,201 #813
2014 modern 8,269 #811
2015 modern 8,090 #821
2016 modern 8,018 #826

Geography

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Where Swains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Lambeth and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Derbyshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Ashfield and Boston. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Derbyshire 013 North East Derbyshire
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 023 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Ashfield 011 Ashfield
4 Boston 001 Boston
5 Boston 008 Boston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swain

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Swain, 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 Swain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Swain 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Swain is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Swain is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Swain 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 Swain is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Swain

The surname Swain originated in England and can be traced back to the Old English words "swan" and "swein", meaning a servant or herdsman. It was likely used as an occupational surname for those who tended swans or herded livestock.

In medieval times, the name Swain was most prevalent in the southern counties of England, particularly in Wiltshire, Dorset, and Somerset. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sweyn" in various locations across the country.

The surname Swain has several historical references, including its appearance in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire in 1195, where a Robert Sweyn is mentioned. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a Walter Sweyn is recorded in Oxfordshire, and in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, a John Sweyn is listed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Swain can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset from 1189, which mention a Robert Swain. Another early example is Walter Swain, who was recorded as a landowner in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Swain. One of the earliest was John Swain (c. 1370-1450), an English cleric who served as the Bishop of Bangor from 1389 to 1399. Another early figure was William Swain (c. 1490-1577), an English lawyer and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, John Swain (1613-1683) was a prominent English clergyman and author who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. During the same period, John Swain (1640-1707) was a Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London.

In the 19th century, Joseph Swain (1857-1909) was an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, while Charles Swain (1801-1874) was an American Baptist minister and educator who served as the sixth president of Brown University.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swain 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. Middlesex leads with 616 Swains recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.09x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 616 1.09x
Lancashire 439 0.66x
Kent 406 2.11x
Yorkshire 392 0.70x
Warwickshire 375 2.64x
Surrey 352 1.28x
Derbyshire 287 3.26x
Hertfordshire 243 6.26x
Lincolnshire 229 2.54x
Leicestershire 221 3.54x
Cheshire 213 1.71x
Sussex 202 2.13x
Nottinghamshire 192 2.53x
Bedfordshire 190 6.52x
Staffordshire 164 0.86x
Berkshire 152 3.60x
Somerset 144 1.59x
Shropshire 89 1.83x
Essex 86 0.77x
Devon 83 0.71x
Gloucestershire 79 0.72x
Montgomeryshire 66 5.12x
Worcestershire 63 0.86x
Buckinghamshire 45 1.32x
Hampshire 43 0.37x
Dorset 35 0.95x
Wiltshire 35 0.70x
Northamptonshire 33 0.62x
Cumberland 29 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 27 0.76x
Monmouthshire 27 0.66x
Herefordshire 24 1.04x
Suffolk 24 0.35x
Durham 19 0.11x
Northumberland 18 0.21x
Glamorgan 17 0.17x
Cornwall 15 0.24x
Norfolk 15 0.17x
Oxfordshire 14 0.40x
Lanarkshire 12 0.07x
Perthshire 12 0.47x
Westmorland 11 0.89x
Royal Navy 7 1.04x
Channel Islands 5 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.33x
Midlothian 5 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.17x
Angus 2 0.04x
Flintshire 2 0.13x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.04x
Fife 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x
Stirlingshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 115 Swains recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.94x.

Place Total Index
Aston 115 2.94x
Lambeth 98 2.00x
Birmingham 91 1.92x
Luton 87 17.24x
Islington London 66 1.21x
Folkestone 52 13.95x
Hastings All Sts 48 53.66x
Camberwell 47 1.31x
Newington 46 2.21x
Manchester 44 1.46x
Shoreditch London 42 1.72x
Langford 41 171.12x
St Pancras London 41 0.90x
Reading St Mary 40 11.82x
Coventry Holy Trinity 39 9.20x
Mile End Old Town 36 4.05x
St Marylebone London 35 1.16x
Tonbridge 35 5.05x
Leicester St Mary 34 6.74x
Sheffield 34 1.91x
Deptford St Paul 33 2.23x
Clawson 32 222.22x
Leicester St Margaret 32 2.10x
Seavington St Michael 32 725.62x
Leeds 31 0.98x
Derby St Werburgh 30 5.89x
Nottingham St Mary 30 1.53x
West Ham 30 1.22x
Hucknall Torkard 29 15.07x
Kensington London 29 0.93x
Battersea 28 1.35x
Enfield 28 7.58x
Hammersmith London 28 2.02x
Reading St Giles 27 6.51x
Greasley 26 15.18x
Weston 26 139.04x
Bromley London 25 2.02x
Hyde 25 6.82x
Stockport 25 3.91x
Castle Gresley 24 158.42x
Coventry St Michael 24 5.26x
Hackney London 24 0.76x
Rickmansworth 24 22.46x
Selston 24 28.31x
St Albans St Peter 24 18.33x
Tottenham 24 2.68x
Felpham 23 210.82x
Painswick 23 29.45x
Yardley Gobion 23 202.29x
Axminster 22 40.04x
Clerkenwell London 22 1.66x
Foleshill 22 14.73x
Maidstone 22 3.84x
Alfreton 21 7.84x
Canterbury St Mildred 21 46.07x
Grantham 21 17.90x
Wardleworth 21 5.50x
Biggleswade 20 20.95x
Chelsea London 20 1.18x
Hornsey 20 2.81x
Kenilworth 20 24.99x
Newtown 20 24.24x
Plumstead 20 3.12x
South Bersted 20 24.77x
Wheathampstead 20 44.59x
Barrington 19 235.73x
Bethnal Green London 19 0.78x
Bermondsey 18 1.07x
Brighton 18 0.94x
Fishtoft 18 101.87x
Great Grimsby 18 3.15x
Watford 18 5.98x
Worthen 18 34.84x
Hastings St Mary In The 17 8.39x
Kings Walden 17 77.45x
Lewisham 17 1.66x
Pinxton 17 37.94x
South Normanton 17 27.45x
Stoke Lane 17 131.07x
Toxteth Park 17 0.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 378
Sarah 231
Elizabeth 218
Ann 118
Emma 112
Jane 94
Annie 87
Ellen 86
Alice 84
Eliza 81
Emily 71
Hannah 64
Martha 58
Louisa 48
Florence 44
Margaret 40
Caroline 38
Ada 37
Fanny 36
Harriet 34
Edith 33
Charlotte 32
Anne 30
Maria 29
Frances 27
Clara 25
Rose 24
Susan 24
Amy 23
Harriett 23
Kate 22
Lucy 22
Agnes 21
Catherine 21
Jessie 19
Amelia 17
Rebecca 17
Laura 15
Matilda 15
Gertrude 13
Susannah 13
Rosa 12
Sophia 12
Elizth. 11
Lydia 11
Minnie 11
Bertha 10
Lizzie 9
Nellie 9
Ruth 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 373
John 300
George 201
Thomas 189
James 173
Charles 125
Henry 112
Joseph 112
Edward 77
Samuel 72
Arthur 67
Richard 57
Albert 54
Alfred 53
Walter 52
Frederick 49
Harry 47
Robert 36
Frank 34
Herbert 28
Stephen 20
Ernest 19
David 17
Edmund 17
Francis 15
Wm. 15
Fred 13
Edwin 12
Isaac 12
Mark 12
Thos. 11
Fredk. 10
Sidney 10
Benjamin 9
Tom 9
Percy 8
Chas. 7
Geo. 7
Peter 7
Reuben 7
Christopher 6
Earnest 5
Jesse 5
Richd. 5
Eli 4
Jonathan 4
Joshua 4
Lewis 4
Sydney 4
W. 4

FAQ

Swain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,768 people were recorded with the Swain surname. That placed it at #765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,018 in 2016. That gives Swain a modern rank of #826.

What does the Swain surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to a young male servant or attendant, often a squire.

What does the Swain map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Swain 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.