UK surname
Derived from the Irish surname "Mac Suibhne" meaning "descendant of Suibhne," a Gaelic personal name meaning "pleasant" or "well-disposed."
In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Swiney surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14, ranked #37,178, down from #16,358 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Eyemouth, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swiney is 207 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 89.8%.
1881 census count
137
Ranked #16,358
Modern count
14
2016, ranked #37,178
Peak year
1861
207 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Swiney surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Swiney surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 185 | #11,077 |
| 1861 | historical | 207 | #11,687 |
| 1881 | historical | 137 | #16,358 |
| 1891 | historical | 149 | #18,420 |
| 1901 | historical | 127 | #19,893 |
| 1911 | historical | 104 | #22,209 |
| 1997 | modern | 19 | #35,928 |
| 1998 | modern | 24 | #35,488 |
| 1999 | modern | 23 | #35,612 |
| 2000 | modern | 21 | #35,799 |
| 2001 | modern | 23 | #35,451 |
| 2002 | modern | 24 | #35,520 |
| 2003 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2004 | modern | 17 | #36,342 |
| 2005 | modern | 19 | #36,247 |
| 2006 | modern | 18 | #36,412 |
| 2007 | modern | 16 | #36,714 |
| 2008 | modern | 14 | #36,950 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 13 | #37,215 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 13 | #37,169 |
| 2013 | modern | 16 | #36,955 |
| 2014 | modern | 13 | #37,256 |
| 2015 | modern | 13 | #37,251 |
| 2016 | modern | 14 | #37,178 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Eyemouth, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, St John Hackney and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eyemouth | Berwick |
| 2 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Swiney surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Swiney, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Swiney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Swiney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Swiney is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Swiney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Swiney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname SWINEY is an English name with origins in the county of Lincolnshire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "swīn," meaning "swine" or "pig," suggesting that the earliest bearers were likely involved in the rearing or trading of pigs.
The name first appeared in records during the late 12th century, with the earliest known reference being to a Richard Swyne in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. By the 13th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, with variations in spelling such as Swyne, Swynne, and Swynney appearing in various medieval documents.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a Thomas Swyne is recorded as holding lands in the village of Swineshead, which may have contributed to the development of the surname. The village name itself is derived from the Old English words "swīn" and "hēafod," meaning "swine's head," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its pig-related origins.
One notable bearer of the name was John Swiney, a 16th-century English theologian and author who served as the Dean of Bristol from 1535 until his death in 1554. Another was Sir Robert Swiney, a prominent merchant and politician in the 17th century, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1652.
The surname also found its way to Ireland, where it was often anglicized from the Irish Gaelic name "Mac Suibhne." One of the earliest recorded Irish bearers was Domhnall Mac Suibhne, a chieftain of the Cenél Conaill dynasty in the 13th century.
In the 18th century, Richard Swiney, born in 1733, was a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Admiral and served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War. Another notable bearer was Sir Ernest Swiney, born in 1856, a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of the Bahamas from 1904 to 1913.
Throughout its history, the SWINEY surname has been associated with various professions, from farming and animal husbandry to religious, political, and military roles. While its origins may have been humble, the name has transcended its early associations and become a part of the rich tapestry of English and Irish history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swiney surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 44 Swineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.22x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 44 | 3.22x |
| Durham | 21 | 5.17x |
| Berwickshire | 11 | 66.51x |
| Gloucestershire | 11 | 4.11x |
| Essex | 9 | 3.34x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 2.86x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.20x |
| Kent | 7 | 1.50x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.37x |
| Channel Islands | 3 | 7.41x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 0.45x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.12x |
| Renfrewshire | 2 | 1.89x |
| Suffolk | 2 | 1.20x |
| Caernarfonshire | 1 | 1.81x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.35x |
| Flintshire | 1 | 2.72x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 1.63x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.22x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 19 Swineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.82x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hackney London | 19 | 24.82x |
| Cheltenham | 11 | 53.24x |
| Eyemouth | 9 | 652.17x |
| West Ham | 9 | 15.12x |
| Kensington London | 7 | 9.22x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 6 | 17.21x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 6 | 34.11x |
| Lambeth | 5 | 4.20x |
| Leeds | 5 | 6.54x |
| St George Hanover | 5 | 28.06x |
| Aldershot | 4 | 42.64x |
| Hammersmith London | 4 | 11.89x |
| Hawkhurst | 4 | 275.86x |
| Islington London | 4 | 3.02x |
| Portsea | 4 | 7.29x |
| Southwick | 4 | 103.90x |
| St Helier | 3 | 22.78x |
| Bishop Auckland | 2 | 36.70x |
| Chatham | 2 | 15.60x |
| Coldingham | 2 | 134.23x |
| Glasgow | 2 | 2.55x |
| Kilmalcolm | 2 | 157.48x |
| Newington | 2 | 3.97x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 2.74x |
| Westminster St John | 2 | 12.03x |
| Woolpit | 2 | 416.67x |
| Bermondsey | 1 | 2.46x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 3.33x |
| Chester Le Street | 1 | 32.05x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 1 | 3.89x |
| Flint | 1 | 48.08x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.02x |
| Llanengan | 1 | 151.52x |
| Modbury | 1 | 136.99x |
| Monzie | 1 | 285.71x |
| Stockton On Tees | 1 | 5.11x |
| Stone | 1 | 16.95x |
| Whitworth | 1 | 33.67x |
| Woolwich | 1 | 5.81x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Swiney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Swiney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Swiney households.
FAQ
In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Swiney surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 14 in 2016. That gives Swiney a modern rank of #37,178.
Derived from the Irish surname "Mac Suibhne" meaning "descendant of Suibhne," a Gaelic personal name meaning "pleasant" or "well-disposed."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Swiney bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.