NameCensus.

UK surname

Swainson

An English surname possibly derived from a place name or an occupational name related to Swansea or swan herding.

In the 1881 census there were 565 people recorded with the Swainson surname, ranking it #6,131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 626, ranked #8,424, down from #6,131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Colton and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Carlisle and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swainson is 734 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.8%.

1881 census count

565

Ranked #6,131

Modern count

626

2016, ranked #8,424

Peak year

1999

734 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swainson had 565 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016, ranked #8,424.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 732 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Swainson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swainson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swainson 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 505 #4,949
1861 historical 443 #5,835
1881 historical 565 #6,131
1891 historical 658 #5,904
1901 historical 729 #6,071
1911 historical 732 #5,858
1997 modern 666 #7,533
1998 modern 708 #7,408
1999 modern 734 #7,263
2000 modern 732 #7,242
2001 modern 719 #7,214
2002 modern 705 #7,467
2003 modern 682 #7,548
2004 modern 666 #7,705
2005 modern 651 #7,767
2006 modern 636 #7,939
2007 modern 638 #7,984
2008 modern 623 #8,175
2009 modern 633 #8,240
2010 modern 639 #8,357
2011 modern 649 #8,164
2012 modern 637 #8,192
2013 modern 659 #8,125
2014 modern 650 #8,255
2015 modern 640 #8,290
2016 modern 626 #8,424

Geography

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Where Swainsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Colton, Lambeth, Dalton-in-Furness and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Carlisle, Wyre and County Durham. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Colton Lancashire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
2 Carlisle 005 Carlisle
3 Wyre 009 Wyre
4 Allerdale 002 Allerdale
5 County Durham 048 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swainson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swainson

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Swainson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Swainson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Swainson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Swainson is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Swainson falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Swainson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Swainson

The surname Swainson is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "swān" meaning "herdsman" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in or near a settlement where there were herdsmen or cattle farmers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Richard Swaneston. The "Swaneston" spelling likely evolved into the modern "Swainson" form over time.

The name is also closely associated with the village of Swainswick in Somerset, which was formerly known as "Swayneswyk" or "Swayneswick" in ancient records. This place name is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Swægn" combined with "wic," meaning "dwelling" or "village."

In the 16th century, the Swainson surname appeared in several historical documents, including the Wills and Inventories of the York Registry from 1554, which mentioned a Thomas Swaynson. The 1584 Parish Register of Weston, Hertfordshire, also recorded the marriage of a Robert Swainson.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the Swainson surname, including:

1. William Swainson (1789-1855), an English naturalist, artist, and author who made significant contributions to the study of ornithology and entomology.

2. Charles Swainson (1817-1887), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on biblical literature and theology.

3. George Swainson (1818-1903), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of Wantage Hall, Oxford.

4. Isaac Swainson (1746-1812), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

5. Benjamin Swainson (1786-1851), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Freemasons' Hall.

While the Swainson surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including naturalists, clergymen, artists, and architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swainson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swainson 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. Lancashire leads with 208 Swainsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 208 3.17x
Yorkshire 79 1.44x
Westmorland 60 49.45x
Middlesex 47 0.85x
Surrey 31 1.15x
Durham 22 1.34x
Derbyshire 18 2.08x
Hampshire 17 1.50x
Cumberland 14 2.95x
Cheshire 10 0.82x
Flintshire 7 4.72x
Somerset 7 0.79x
Sussex 7 0.75x
Denbighshire 6 2.88x
Kent 6 0.32x
Devon 5 0.44x
Berwickshire 3 4.49x
Gloucestershire 3 0.28x
Shropshire 3 0.63x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.90x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.57x
Cornwall 2 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.30x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.25x
Royal Navy 1 1.52x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.15x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lancaster in Lancashire leads with 35 Swainsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.79x.

Place Total Index
Lancaster 35 89.79x
Everton 19 9.10x
Dalton In Furness 18 71.17x
Claife 16 1538.46x
Derby St Werburgh 14 28.05x
Kendal 14 63.03x
Ulverston 14 73.38x
West Derby 14 7.30x
Colton 13 380.12x
Applethwaite 11 303.87x
Lambeth 11 2.29x
Sleagill 11 4230.77x
Bromley London 9 7.41x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 8 40.26x
Great Boughton 8 190.48x
Liverpool 8 2.01x
St Pancras London 8 1.80x
Stockton On Tees 8 10.10x
Toxteth Park 8 3.61x
Barrow In Furness 7 7.86x
Brightside Bierlow 7 6.52x
Easby In Stokesley 7 2692.31x
Hoyland Swaine 7 492.96x
Little Bolton 7 8.31x
Little Strickland 7 3181.82x
Mold Leeswood 7 208.33x
Penge 7 19.85x
Skerton 7 130.11x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 7 97.77x
Clapham 6 8.69x
Doncaster 6 15.01x
Great Ayton 6 179.10x
Kirkdale 6 5.44x
Lower Allithwaite 6 382.17x
Mile End Old Town 6 6.88x
Selling 6 387.10x
St Martin In Fields 6 18.15x
Whippingham 6 70.01x
Bradford 5 16.30x
Kilburn 5 684.93x
Llandegla 5 769.23x
St Luke London 5 5.65x
St Mary Extra 5 54.88x
Stoke Damerel 5 6.22x
Aysgarth 4 571.43x
Openshaw 4 13.04x
Sunderland 4 13.79x
Wortley In Bramley 4 9.23x
Bramley In Bramley 3 14.33x
Burton Cum Walden 3 357.14x
Cleator 3 15.16x
Crosby Ravensworth 3 202.70x
Croydon 3 2.01x
Dunse 3 47.32x
East Grinstead 3 22.76x
Ellenborough Ewanrigg 3 90.91x
Helmington Row 3 39.22x
Islington London 3 0.56x
Leeds 3 0.97x
Middleton St George 3 145.63x
Newton 3 5.94x
Pickhill With Roxby 3 566.04x
Portsmouth 3 11.51x
Preston 3 1.71x
Shap 3 111.94x
Yanwath Eamont Bridge 3 545.45x
Aislaby In Whitby 2 312.50x
Bangor 2 9.29x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 1.96x
Chichester St Pancras 2 71.94x
Egton Cum Newland 2 105.26x
Kirkby Moorside 2 57.47x
Litchurch 2 5.75x
Middleton 2 454.55x
Portsea 2 0.90x
Rawdon 2 31.06x
Shoreditch London 2 0.84x
St Giles Cambridge 2 44.25x
Streatham 2 4.88x
Wistanstow 2 129.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 22
Jane 14
Ann 13
Margaret 13
Sarah 13
Annie 10
Ellen 10
Isabella 10
Charlotte 8
Hannah 8
Edith 7
Frances 6
Agnes 5
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Harriet 3
Helen 3
Maria 3
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Dorothy 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Millicent 2
Sophia 2
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Eliz.Mary 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellsy 1
Eva 1
Isabel 1
Jamima 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lilias 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Swainson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swainson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 565 people were recorded with the Swainson surname. That placed it at #6,131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swainson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016. That gives Swainson a modern rank of #8,424.

What does the Swainson surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from a place name or an occupational name related to Swansea or swan herding.

What does the Swainson map show?

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