NameCensus.

UK surname

Swayne

An Old English surname likely derived from "swan" or related to living near a lake or moor.

In the 1881 census there were 293 people recorded with the Swayne surname, ranking it #9,884 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 355, ranked #13,020, down from #9,884 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Portsmouth, Portsea and Bridgnorth St Leonard and St Mary Magdalen. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Daventry, Brighton and Hove and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swayne is 421 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.2%.

1881 census count

293

Ranked #9,884

Modern count

355

2016, ranked #13,020

Peak year

1998

421 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swayne had 293 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,884 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016, ranked #13,020.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 374 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Swayne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swayne surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swayne 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 266 #8,373
1861 historical 255 #9,699
1881 historical 293 #9,884
1891 historical 370 #9,429
1901 historical 374 #9,930
1911 historical 373 #9,787
1997 modern 405 #10,908
1998 modern 421 #10,954
1999 modern 403 #11,382
2000 modern 385 #11,738
2001 modern 381 #11,637
2002 modern 386 #11,740
2003 modern 382 #11,642
2004 modern 372 #11,886
2005 modern 380 #11,639
2006 modern 371 #11,916
2007 modern 369 #12,098
2008 modern 367 #12,264
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 368 #12,750
2011 modern 369 #12,600
2012 modern 355 #12,816
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 372 #12,669
2015 modern 366 #12,717
2016 modern 355 #13,020

Geography

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Where Swaynes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Portsmouth, Portsea, Bridgnorth St Leonard and St Mary Magdalen, Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an and Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Daventry, Brighton and Hove, Wiltshire and Lewes. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
3 Bridgnorth St Leonard and St Mary Magdalen Shropshire
4 Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an Wiltshire
5 Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Daventry 004 Daventry
2 Brighton and Hove 025 Brighton and Hove
3 Wiltshire 014 Wiltshire
4 Lewes 003 Lewes
5 Brighton and Hove 032 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swayne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swayne

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Swayne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Swayne household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Swayne is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Swayne 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

Swayne 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 Swayne 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 Swayne, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Swayne

The surname Swayne has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English word "swain," which means a young man or a servant. This suggests that early bearers of the name were likely servants or workers on a particular estate or land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Swayne can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273, where a person named William Sweyn is mentioned. The name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it is spelled "Sweyn."

During the medieval period, the name Swayne was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Worcestershire, and Somerset. It is thought that the variations in spelling, such as Sweyn, Swain, and Swayne, may have arisen due to regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name.

One notable historical figure with the surname Swayne was Sir Robert Swayne, who lived in the 15th century and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1470. Another prominent individual was Henry Swayne, born in 1520, who was a member of the English gentry and held lands in Somerset.

In the 17th century, a man named Francis Swayne, born in 1628, was a prominent English clergyman and author. He served as the Rector of Winslow in Buckinghamshire and wrote several religious works.

Moving into the 18th century, William Swayne, born in 1717, was a notable English architect who designed several churches and buildings in the Palladian style. His most famous work is the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Taunton, Somerset.

Another individual of note is Joseph Swayne, born in 1786, who was a British naval officer and explorer. He served in the Royal Navy and is known for leading an expedition to explore parts of the Canadian Arctic in the early 19th century.

Throughout its history, the surname Swayne has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the counties where it first emerged. While its origins can be traced back to the 13th century, the name has endured and continues to be carried by families around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swayne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swayne 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. Wiltshire leads with 65 Swaynes recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.54x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 65 25.54x
Surrey 63 4.49x
Hampshire 28 4.75x
Middlesex 19 0.66x
Gloucestershire 18 3.19x
Fife 16 9.39x
Somerset 14 3.02x
Warwickshire 14 1.93x
Midlothian 9 2.33x
Angus 7 2.63x
Kent 7 0.71x
Staffordshire 7 0.72x
Perthshire 5 3.87x
Shropshire 5 2.01x
Devon 4 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.03x
Berkshire 3 1.39x
Royal Navy 2 5.83x
Dorset 1 0.53x
Hertfordshire 1 0.50x
Kinross-shire 1 13.76x
Sussex 1 0.21x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke in Surrey leads with 19 Swaynes recorded in 1881 and an index of 287.01x.

Place Total Index
Stoke 19 287.01x
Steeple Langford 14 2692.31x
Aston 13 6.51x
Clifton 12 42.06x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 5.80x
Hackney London 8 4.96x
Sheet 8 1250.00x
Camberwell 7 3.81x
Glastonbury 7 185.19x
Kingswinford 7 19.85x
Merrow 7 1186.44x
Portsea 7 6.06x
Chippenham 6 112.36x
Dysart 6 52.31x
Farnham 6 55.05x
Langley Burrell 6 566.04x
St Giles In Fields 6 60.48x
Wemyss 6 83.22x
Wimbledon 6 38.12x
Wylye 6 1250.00x
Ash Normandy 5 263.16x
Boyton 5 1666.67x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 5 177.31x
Codford St Peter 5 1612.90x
Croydon 5 6.42x
East Dean 5 2777.78x
Panbride 5 359.71x
Whiteparish 5 462.96x
Chitterne St Mary 4 2000.00x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 29.15x
Fowlis Easter 4 1290.32x
Hoo 4 307.69x
Hucknall Torkard 4 40.65x
Millbrook 4 26.94x
Nunton With Bodenham 4 1379.31x
Scoonie 4 108.40x
Weybridge 4 132.89x
Salisbury The Close 3 483.87x
Wonersh 3 171.43x
Bruton 2 109.89x
Cirencester 2 26.18x
Clewer 2 22.60x
Lee 2 14.04x
Royal Navy 2 6.82x
Shepton Mallet 2 38.46x
St Pancras London 2 0.86x
Stapleton 2 18.67x
Westbury 2 33.67x
Winterbourne Stoke 2 689.66x
Abernyte 1 370.37x
Aldershot 1 5.06x
Birmingham 1 0.41x
Brighton 1 1.02x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.88x
Burghfield 1 78.13x
Chiswick 1 6.36x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 1 65.36x
Edmonton 1 4.31x
Elstree 1 153.85x
Fossoway 1 80.00x
Frome 1 9.03x
Gillingham 1 4.94x
Heworth 1 135.14x
Heytesbury 1 107.53x
Lambeth 1 0.40x
Liff Benvie 1 2.47x
Lochee 1 42.02x
Mells 1 104.17x
Minstead 1 117.65x
Preston 1 370.37x
Romsey Extra 1 28.49x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 49.51x
St Bride London 1 59.88x
St Faith Winchester 1 36.36x
Warminster 1 17.92x
Weare 1 156.25x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Swayne 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 Swayne 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
Henry 11
Thomas 9
Arthur 6
Francis 6
George 6
Robert 6
Charles 5
James 5
Harry 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Geo. 3
David 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Algernon 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Enos 1
Eric 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Geor. 1
Gerald 1
Gilbert 1
Harrald 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Joshia 1
Maurice 1
Oliver 1
Oswald 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Thos.P. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Swayne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swayne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 293 people were recorded with the Swayne surname. That placed it at #9,884 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swayne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016. That gives Swayne a modern rank of #13,020.

What does the Swayne surname mean?

An Old English surname likely derived from "swan" or related to living near a lake or moor.

What does the Swayne map show?

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