NameCensus.

UK surname

Swanton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Swanton.

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Swanton surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 508, ranked #9,877, up from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedminster, Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street and Mells. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, South Lakeland and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swanton is 571 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.9%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

508

2016, ranked #9,877

Peak year

2010

571 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swanton had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 508 in 2016, ranked #9,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Swanton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swanton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swanton 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 176 #13,335
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 293 #11,319
1901 historical 357 #10,280
1911 historical 389 #9,470
1997 modern 501 #9,288
1998 modern 524 #9,265
1999 modern 527 #9,277
2000 modern 529 #9,233
2001 modern 514 #9,267
2002 modern 549 #8,989
2003 modern 511 #9,338
2004 modern 507 #9,419
2005 modern 502 #9,419
2006 modern 518 #9,232
2007 modern 527 #9,193
2008 modern 528 #9,248
2009 modern 554 #9,117
2010 modern 571 #9,096
2011 modern 554 #9,212
2012 modern 509 #9,734
2013 modern 531 #9,597
2014 modern 527 #9,716
2015 modern 514 #9,823
2016 modern 508 #9,877

Geography

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Where Swantons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedminster, Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street, Mells, London parishes and St George the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, South Lakeland, Southend-on-Sea and Wiltshire. 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 Bedminster Somerset
2 Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street Somerset
3 Mells Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 025 Wigan
2 Wigan 027 Wigan
3 South Lakeland 004 South Lakeland
4 Southend-on-Sea 005 Southend-on-Sea
5 Wiltshire 049 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swanton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swanton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Swanton 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

Swanton 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

Swanton 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 Swanton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Swanton

The surname Swanton originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "swon" meaning a herdsman and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived or worked in a settlement of herdsmen.

The earliest known record of the name Swanton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a place name in Somerset. This indicates that the name was already well-established as a surname by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 12th century, the name Swanton appeared in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Henry II and the Curia Regis Rolls of Richard I. These early references suggest that the Swanton family held land and had a presence in several counties across England.

One notable individual with the surname Swanton was Sir William Swanton, a 14th-century knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1320 and served under Edward III in the battles of Crécy and Calais.

Another historical figure was John Swanton, a 16th-century Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Norwich, England, in 1557 for his religious beliefs during the Marian Persecutions under Queen Mary I.

In the 17th century, the Swanton family had a strong presence in Norfolk, where they owned estates and were prominent landowners. One member, Thomas Swanton (1625-1687), was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Norwich.

In the 18th century, the name Swanton was associated with several notable clergymen, including John Swanton (1703-1773), who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk, and his son, also named John Swanton (1731-1804), who was a fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

The 19th century saw the rise of Sir Alexander Swanton (1825-1901), a distinguished British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and was knighted for his services.

Throughout its history, the surname Swanton has been linked to various place names, including Swanton Novers and Swanton Morley in Norfolk, as well as Swanton in Gloucestershire and Swanton in Yorkshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swanton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swanton 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 61 Swantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.70x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 61 2.70x
Somerset 55 15.10x
Lancashire 19 0.71x
Surrey 18 1.63x
Gloucestershire 11 2.48x
Lincolnshire 9 2.49x
Durham 7 1.04x
Glamorgan 7 1.78x
Sussex 7 1.83x
Kent 6 0.78x
Cumberland 5 2.57x
Hampshire 5 1.08x
Oxfordshire 4 2.86x
Essex 3 0.67x
Denbighshire 2 2.34x
Monmouthshire 2 1.22x
Norfolk 2 0.57x
Royal Navy 2 7.42x
Staffordshire 2 0.26x
Worcestershire 2 0.68x
Lanarkshire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.33x
Northamptonshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mells in Somerset leads with 12 Swantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1600.00x.

Place Total Index
Mells 12 1600.00x
Warrington 12 37.70x
Glastonbury 11 370.37x
Poplar London 11 25.76x
Bedminster 9 26.29x
St Giles In Fields 9 115.38x
Theddlethorpe All Sts 8 3200.00x
St Mary Aldermary 7 17500.00x
Tottenham 7 19.42x
Wartling 7 1521.74x
Bethnal Green London 6 6.10x
Bristol St Paul In 6 50.76x
St Pancras London 6 3.29x
West Pennard 6 1016.95x
Bratton Seymour 5 7142.86x
Cardiff St Mary 5 23.04x
Egremont 5 107.53x
Gateshead 5 9.92x
Lewisham 5 12.14x
Millbrook 5 42.81x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 10.98x
Babington 4 2666.67x
Bromley London 4 8.03x
Oxford St Clement 4 113.31x
Southwark St Saviour 4 34.39x
Clifton 3 13.37x
Hornsey 3 10.48x
Meare 3 275.23x
Newington 3 3.59x
Stoke 3 57.69x
West Ham 3 3.04x
Camberwell 2 1.38x
Cardiff St John 2 15.54x
Charlton Musgrove 2 625.00x
Christchurch 2 39.53x
Eccleshall 2 68.97x
Houghton Le Spring 2 43.01x
Lytham 2 48.78x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 2 114.29x
Over Darwen 2 9.32x
Pilton 2 229.89x
Royal Navy 2 8.68x
St Andrew Holborn 2 26.08x
St Luke London 2 5.51x
Worcester Blockhouse 2 123.46x
Wrexham Regis 2 31.50x
Barony 1 0.54x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 4.69x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 24.75x
Cockpen 1 28.25x
East Harptree 1 196.08x
Hindley 1 8.73x
Lambeth 1 0.51x
Limehouse London 1 4.03x
North Meols 1 3.81x
Northampton All Sts 1 13.85x
Plumstead 1 3.89x
Shoreditch London 1 1.02x
St Bartholomew Great 1 48.54x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 19.65x
Westbury On Trym 1 6.65x
Willesden 1 4.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 10
Jane 7
Alice 5
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Hannah 4
Catherine 3
Kate 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Johanna 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Patience 2
Sarah 2
Daisy 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz.F.C. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Eve 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
H. 1
Harriot 1
J.E. 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
Letitia 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
May 1
Phillis 1
Sabina 1
Sofia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 14
Robert 10
James 9
Thomas 8
Henry 7
George 4
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Hubert 2
Joseph 2
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Calvert 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Eugene 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Hy. 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Mary 1
Michael 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thomas. 1
Thomas.J. 1
W. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.A. 1
Young 1

FAQ

Swanton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swanton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Swanton surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swanton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 508 in 2016. That gives Swanton a modern rank of #9,877.

What does the Swanton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Swanton.

What does the Swanton map show?

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