NameCensus.

UK surname

Swainston

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "stone of the swineherd" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 292 people recorded with the Swainston surname, ranking it #9,912 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 814, ranked #6,810, up from #9,912 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmondshire, Darlington and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swainston is 865 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 178.8%.

1881 census count

292

Ranked #9,912

Modern count

814

2016, ranked #6,810

Peak year

2010

865 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swainston had 292 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,912 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 814 in 2016, ranked #6,810.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 581 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Swainston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swainston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swainston 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 151 #12,840
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 292 #9,912
1891 historical 428 #8,377
1901 historical 508 #7,960
1911 historical 581 #7,005
1997 modern 789 #6,610
1998 modern 830 #6,561
1999 modern 819 #6,671
2000 modern 789 #6,850
2001 modern 792 #6,692
2002 modern 794 #6,818
2003 modern 762 #6,921
2004 modern 779 #6,817
2005 modern 767 #6,830
2006 modern 777 #6,792
2007 modern 774 #6,883
2008 modern 797 #6,768
2009 modern 836 #6,655
2010 modern 865 #6,603
2011 modern 857 #6,574
2012 modern 831 #6,649
2013 modern 821 #6,796
2014 modern 826 #6,805
2015 modern 818 #6,807
2016 modern 814 #6,810

Geography

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Where Swainstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington, Gateshead, Richmond and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmondshire, Darlington 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Darlington Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Richmond Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmondshire 003 Richmondshire
2 Darlington 013 Darlington
3 County Durham 029 County Durham
4 County Durham 027 County Durham
5 Darlington 009 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swainston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swainston

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Swainston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Swainston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Swainston is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Swainston is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Swainston 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 Swainston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Swainston

The surname Swainston originated in England during the early medieval period, derived from the Old English words "swain" meaning servant or young man, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or farmstead. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived or worked on a farm owned by a person of higher status.

The earliest known record of the name Swainston dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire from 1219. This document mentions a person named William de Swainestun, indicating that the name was already well-established in that region at that time.

In the 14th century, variations of the spelling such as Swaynston and Swaineston can be found in various records from counties like Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England during that period.

One notable historical figure with the surname Swainston was John Swainston, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of York during the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several records from that time, including the York Civic Records from 1490.

Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Swainston, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry who lived in Northamptonshire during the 16th century. He is recorded as having been knighted by King Henry VIII in 1544.

In the 17th century, the spelling of the name seems to have become more standardized as Swainston. One example is Robert Swainston, a clergyman who served as the Vicar of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham from 1632 to 1665.

During the 18th century, the name appears to have spread further across England, with records indicating Swainston families living in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. One notable individual from this period was William Swainston, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Beverley, Yorkshire, in the mid-1700s.

In the 19th century, the name Swainston continued to be found in various parts of England, with some families also migrating to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One example is James Swainston, a Scottish poet and author who was born in Edinburgh in 1836 and wrote several works of poetry and prose.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swainston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swainston 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. Durham leads with 154 Swainstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.36x.

County Total Index
Durham 154 18.36x
Yorkshire 67 2.40x
Lancashire 31 0.93x
Essex 8 1.44x
Hampshire 8 1.38x
Surrey 7 0.51x
Middlesex 6 0.21x
Leicestershire 5 1.60x
Hertfordshire 1 0.51x
Kent 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 2.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 16 Swainstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.41x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 16 49.41x
Bishopwearmouth 14 19.45x
Elvet 14 231.41x
Leeds 12 7.61x
Aldbrough In Richmond 11 2820.51x
Usworth 11 247.19x
Witton Gilbert 11 332.33x
Westoe 10 21.03x
Withington 10 92.76x
Faceby 9 5294.12x
Colchester St Peter 8 358.74x
Heworth 8 48.40x
Hurworth 8 544.22x
Portsea 8 7.06x
Stretford 8 43.48x
Scotton In 7 2500.00x
Bishop Auckland 6 53.33x
Conside Knitsley 6 92.02x
Framwellgate 6 120.72x
Middleton In Teesdale 6 271.49x
Stockton On Tees 6 14.84x
Hamsterley 5 1041.67x
Lambeth 5 2.03x
Leicester St Margaret 5 6.56x
Melsonby 5 980.39x
Richmond 5 114.68x
Ripon 5 77.16x
Auckland St Andrew 4 181.00x
Bickerstaffe 4 182.65x
East Thickley 4 235.29x
Everton 4 3.75x
Linthorpe 4 24.00x
Newbottle 4 87.34x
Burnley 3 10.65x
Ford 3 119.52x
Southcoates 3 19.34x
Wolsingham 3 39.27x
Brafferton Barmpton 2 740.74x
Crossgate 2 54.50x
Evenwood Barony 2 70.18x
Gateshead 2 3.19x
Middlesbrough 2 5.50x
Prescot 2 33.06x
Rotherhithe 2 5.74x
Thornaby 2 19.16x
Eltham 1 17.73x
Finchley 1 9.25x
Hornsey 1 2.81x
Hutton Rudby 1 120.48x
Offley 1 79.37x
Poplar London 1 1.88x
Royal Navy 1 3.48x
Sedgefield 1 33.44x
St Giles In Fields 1 10.29x
St Mary Bothaw London 1 1000.00x
St Pancras London 1 0.44x
Wath In Ripon Norton 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 13
Annie 11
Jane 10
Margaret 9
Alice 4
Hannah 4
Sarah 4
Charlotte 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Isabella 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Barbra 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lalvia 1
Laura 1
Lottie 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
Maggy 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Phillis 1
Pollie 1
Rosamond 1
Rose 1
Rozetta 1
Salina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
William 23
George 16
Thomas 13
Robert 7
Henry 6
Wm. 4
Francis 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Ralph 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Abraham 1
Alfed 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Austin 1
Bartholomew 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Eliot 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Long 1
Fredrick 1
Heath 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
James 1
Jane 1
Jasper 1
Jno. 1
Martin 1
Rodger 1
Willie 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Swainston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swainston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 292 people were recorded with the Swainston surname. That placed it at #9,912 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swainston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 814 in 2016. That gives Swainston a modern rank of #6,810.

What does the Swainston surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "stone of the swineherd" in Old English.

What does the Swainston map show?

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