NameCensus.

UK surname

Swaine

An English surname derived from the Old Norse personal name Sveinn, meaning "boy" or "young man".

In the 1881 census there were 1,315 people recorded with the Swaine surname, ranking it #3,119 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,181, ranked #5,032, down from #3,119 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Burnley and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swaine is 1,435 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.2%.

1881 census count

1,315

Ranked #3,119

Modern count

1,181

2016, ranked #5,032

Peak year

1901

1,435 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swaine had 1,315 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,119 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,181 in 2016, ranked #5,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,435 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Swaine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swaine surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Swaine 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 1,053 #2,658
1861 historical 914 #3,030
1881 historical 1,315 #3,119
1891 historical 1,368 #3,171
1901 historical 1,435 #3,539
1911 historical 1,358 #3,535
1997 modern 1,287 #4,429
1998 modern 1,324 #4,481
1999 modern 1,326 #4,515
2000 modern 1,264 #4,698
2001 modern 1,235 #4,691
2002 modern 1,290 #4,607
2003 modern 1,268 #4,578
2004 modern 1,243 #4,663
2005 modern 1,203 #4,748
2006 modern 1,216 #4,728
2007 modern 1,240 #4,692
2008 modern 1,233 #4,735
2009 modern 1,248 #4,786
2010 modern 1,242 #4,901
2011 modern 1,218 #4,914
2012 modern 1,207 #4,889
2013 modern 1,227 #4,904
2014 modern 1,229 #4,917
2015 modern 1,205 #4,952
2016 modern 1,181 #5,032

Geography

Back to top

Where Swaines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Halifax, London parishes and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, Burnley, Barnsley, Bradford and Liverpool. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 004 Rother
2 Burnley 014 Burnley
3 Barnsley 018 Barnsley
4 Bradford 047 Bradford
5 Liverpool 014 Liverpool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Swaine

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Swaine

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Swaine, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Swaine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Swaine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Swaine 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

Swaine is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Swaine falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Swaine 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 Swaine, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Swaine

The surname Swaine has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "swain," which referred to a young man or servant. This term was commonly used as a personal name and later adopted as a surname.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest records of surnames in England, several variations of the name can be found, such as Sweyn, Swein, and Swayn. These early spellings reflect the evolution of the name over time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Swaine was Robert Swaine, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Swaine, a member of the landed gentry from Yorkshire, who lived in the 14th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Swaine was often associated with places like Swainby in Yorkshire, which was recorded as Swaineby in the Domesday Book. This suggests that some individuals may have adopted the name based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 16th century, a prominent individual bearing the name was John Swaine, a merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London, who lived from around 1510 to 1580.

Another notable figure was Joseph Swaine, an English clergyman and author born in 1675. He served as the headmaster of the prestigious Woodbridge Grammar School and wrote several influential works on education.

In the 18th century, John Swaine (1733-1802) was a renowned engraver and medal maker, known for his intricate designs on coins and medals. His work was highly prized during his lifetime.

The 19th century saw the rise of Samuel Swaine (1832-1910), a distinguished architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

Throughout its history, the surname Swaine has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and public figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carry this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Swaine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swaine 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. Yorkshire leads with 567 Swaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.46x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 567 4.46x
Middlesex 115 0.90x
Cheshire 92 3.25x
Lancashire 90 0.59x
Surrey 72 1.15x
Sussex 61 2.82x
Hertfordshire 39 4.41x
Somerset 34 1.65x
Gloucestershire 31 1.23x
Kent 22 0.50x
Devon 20 0.75x
Derbyshire 18 0.90x
Renfrewshire 15 1.51x
Berkshire 14 1.45x
Cambridgeshire 13 1.60x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.69x
Hampshire 10 0.38x
Anglesey 9 3.96x
Essex 9 0.36x
Staffordshire 9 0.21x
Warwickshire 9 0.28x
Fife 6 0.79x
Norfolk 6 0.30x
Suffolk 6 0.38x
Wiltshire 6 0.53x
Monmouthshire 5 0.54x
Montgomeryshire 5 1.70x
Channel Islands 3 0.79x
Cornwall 3 0.21x
Cumberland 3 0.27x
Shropshire 3 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.26x
Dorset 2 0.24x
Worcestershire 2 0.12x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 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. Horton In Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 87 Swaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.79x.

Place Total Index
Horton In Bradford 87 43.79x
Macclesfield 71 56.37x
Bradford 62 20.13x
Bowling 46 36.51x
Halifax 34 18.21x
Calverley Cum Farsley 29 80.29x
Weston 25 586.85x
Barnsley 23 17.53x
Leeds 23 3.20x
Manningham 23 14.68x
Hastings All Sts 19 93.18x
St Pancras London 16 1.55x
Northowram 15 16.82x
Port Glasgow 15 31.19x
Darton 14 107.44x
Hastings St Clement 14 68.73x
Saltwood 13 426.23x
Willesden 13 10.74x
Wisbech St Peter 13 31.89x
Liverpool 12 1.30x
Minchinhampton 12 59.82x
Kensington London 11 1.54x
North Bierley 11 16.02x
Camberwell 10 1.22x
Chelsea London 10 2.59x
Clayton 10 32.12x
Islington London 10 0.80x
St Marylebone London 10 1.46x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 10 16.92x
West Derby 10 2.24x
Cleckheaton 9 19.21x
Crigglestone 9 73.47x
Holyhead 9 21.22x
Hulme 9 2.83x
Lambeth 9 0.80x
Nottingham St Mary 9 2.01x
Rye 9 43.75x
Southowram 9 23.18x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 3.48x
Guildford St Nicholas 8 72.40x
Kirkdale 8 3.12x
Ore 8 49.66x
Sheffield 8 1.98x
Tottenham 8 3.91x
Battersea 7 1.48x
Croydon 7 2.02x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 2.71x
Frome 7 14.16x
Ilminster 7 48.48x
Ovenden 7 12.36x
Pudsey 7 10.29x
Somerton 7 82.94x
Speen 7 44.39x
Uplyme 7 175.00x
Wakefield 7 7.17x
Bakewell 6 54.60x
Exeter St Mary Steps 6 99.50x
Gildersome 6 39.24x
Holbeck 6 7.12x
Holdenhurst 6 8.69x
Keighley 6 4.43x
Markinch 6 23.26x
Norwich St John Timberhill 6 112.99x
Rotherhithe 6 3.78x
Stockport 6 4.11x
Theberton 6 226.42x
Tong 6 24.42x
Worsbrough 6 16.10x
Bedwellty 5 3.05x
Cheltenham 5 2.57x
Chester St Michael 5 149.70x
Churchstoke 5 90.09x
Hackney London 5 0.69x
Idle 5 8.48x
Kingswood 5 121.95x
Limehouse London 5 3.55x
Maidstone 5 3.83x
Reading St Giles 5 5.29x
Southwark Christchurch 5 8.31x
Tollard Royal 5 406.50x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 64
John 53
George 36
Joseph 36
Thomas 28
Henry 25
James 25
Charles 20
Richard 16
Walter 15
Albert 14
Arthur 14
Edward 14
Benjamin 12
Alfred 11
Samuel 11
Frederick 9
Robert 9
Edwin 8
David 7
Frank 6
Fred 6
Harry 6
Ernest 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Sam 5
Chas. 4
Thos. 4
Francis 3
Mark 3
Willie 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Adolphus 2
Daniel 2
Elias 2
Elijah 2
Enoch 2
Geo. 2
Hiram 2
Levi 2
Mathew 2
Seth 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Wilfred 2
Chandos 1
Edwd. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Swaine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swaine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,315 people were recorded with the Swaine surname. That placed it at #3,119 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swaine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,181 in 2016. That gives Swaine a modern rank of #5,032.

What does the Swaine surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old Norse personal name Sveinn, meaning "boy" or "young man".

What does the Swaine map show?

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