UK surname

Swiers

A variant of the English surname "Schwier" of German origin, referring to a maker or trader of knives.

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Swiers surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, up from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Hambleton and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swiers is 151 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.3%.

1881 census count

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2014

151 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Swiers had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 60 in 1881.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Map

Swiers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swiers surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Swiers 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	17	#30,267
1861	historical	27	#30,543
1881	historical	60	#25,133
1891	historical	35	#31,540
1901	historical	44	#29,276
1911	historical	54	#27,423
1997	modern	115	#24,834
1998	modern	125	#24,198
1999	modern	128	#24,017
2000	modern	136	#23,155
2001	modern	134	#23,037
2002	modern	145	#22,392
2003	modern	131	#23,553
2004	modern	127	#24,224
2005	modern	131	#23,737
2006	modern	131	#23,942
2007	modern	130	#24,389
2008	modern	135	#24,123
2009	modern	145	#23,473
2010	modern	144	#24,147
2011	modern	138	#24,615
2012	modern	135	#24,952
2013	modern	140	#24,779
2014	modern	151	#23,745
2015	modern	139	#24,956
2016	modern	140	#24,865

Geography

Where Swiers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Hambleton, Ryedale and Scarborough. 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	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Harrogate 003	Harrogate
2	Hambleton 010	Hambleton
3	Ryedale 002	Ryedale
4	Hambleton 009	Hambleton
5	Scarborough 009	Scarborough

Forenames

First names often paired with Swiers

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Jane Margaret Lucy Christine Rebecca Joanna Kathleen Elizabeth Mary Hazel

Recent male names

Joseph John Philip Simon James George Jacob David Paul Thomas

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Swiers

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Swiers 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

Swiers is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Swiers 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Swiers 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Swiers

The surname Swiers is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, where it first appeared in the historical records during the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "zwieren," which means "to swing" or "to sway." This could suggest that the name was initially bestowed upon someone who had a distinctive walking style or gait.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Swiers surname can be found in the baptismal records of the Dutch Reformed Church in Amsterdam, dated 1597. In this document, a child named Pieter Swiers was baptized, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 17th century, the Swiers name began to spread beyond the Netherlands, as Dutch settlers and traders established colonies and outposts in various parts of the world. For example, in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia), there are records of a merchant named Jan Swiers who was active in the spice trade during the 1630s.

Another notable individual bearing the Swiers surname was Willem Swiers, a Dutch playwright and poet who lived from 1646 to 1710. He was known for his satirical works and was considered a prominent figure in the Dutch literary scene of his time.

As the name spread across Europe, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as Swyers, Swyer, and Sweers. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that era.

In England, the Swiers surname can be traced back to the late 17th century, when Dutch immigrants and refugees fleeing religious persecution began settling in various parts of the country. One such individual was Hendrik Swiers, a merchant who was born in Amsterdam in 1672 and later settled in London, where he established a successful trading business.

Another notable figure with the Swiers surname was Johannes Swiers, a Dutch painter who lived from 1665 to 1726. He was known for his landscapes and genre paintings, which depicted scenes of everyday life in the Netherlands during that period.

As time passed, the Swiers surname continued to spread across various parts of the world, carried by Dutch settlers, traders, and immigrants. While the name may have evolved and taken on different spellings in different regions, its origins can be traced back to the Netherlands and the Dutch language, serving as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and history behind this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Swiers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swiers 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 60 Swiers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.35x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Yorkshire	60	0.00%	10.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. High Low Bishopside in Yorkshire leads with 40 Swiers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7843.14x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
High Low Bishopside	40	1.56%	7843.14x
Sutton Grange	14	26.92%	140000.00x
Ripon	5	0.07%	370.37x
Scriven Cum Tentergate	1	0.09%	476.19x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Ann	3
Elizabeth	3
Mary	3
Ellen	2
Frances	2
Margaret	2
Sarah	2
Annie	1
Caroline	1
Charlotte	1
Clara	1
Clarrie	1
Fanny	1
Lillie	1
Priscilla	1
Ursula	1

Top male names

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

Name	Count
John	5
James	4
Thomas	4
George	3
Isaac	3
Fred	2
Joseph	2
William	2
Albert	1
Alfred	1
Ben	1
Benny	1
Charles	1
Charlie	1
Jonathan	1
Robert	1
Tom	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Swiers households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	13
Farm Labourer	3
Flax Factory Hand	3
Farm Labourer (Indoor)	2
Flax Mill Hand	2
Annuitant	1
Blue Slater	1
Bobbin Turner	1
Butcher & Farmer (50 Acres Of Land)	1
Butcher & Farmer (50 Acres Of Land) Wife	1
Farm Manager (Bailiff)	1
Farmer 220 Acres	1
Farmer 280 Acres With 5 Servts	1
Farmer 7 1/2 Acres	1
Farmer Of 100 Acres 3 Men	1
Farmers Daughter	1
Farmers Farmer Son	1
Farmers Fitter	1
Farmers Son	1
General Labourer	1
Joiner	1
Retired Farmers	1
Stone Quarryman (Grit)	1

FAQ

Swiers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swiers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Swiers surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swiers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Swiers a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Swiers surname mean?