NameCensus.

UK surname

Swinfen

In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Swinfen surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, down from #25,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dunton Bassett and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harborough, Daventry and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swinfen is 151 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 122.4%.

1881 census count

58

Ranked #25,428

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

2001

151 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swinfen had 58 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Swinfen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swinfen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swinfen 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 58 #25,428
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 109 #21,611
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 141 #22,688
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

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Where Swinfens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dunton Bassett, St John Hackney, Lambeth and Whitwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harborough, Daventry, Sandwell, Stratford-on-Avon and Partickhill and Hyndland. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Dunton Bassett Leicestershire
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Whitwick Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harborough 010 Harborough
2 Daventry 001 Daventry
3 Sandwell 013 Sandwell
4 Stratford-on-Avon 009 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Partickhill and Hyndland Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swinfen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swinfen

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Swinfen is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Swinfen is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Swinfen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swinfen 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. Warwickshire leads with 20 Swinfens recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.02x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 20 14.02x
Middlesex 18 3.18x
Leicestershire 10 15.95x
Nottinghamshire 5 6.56x
Staffordshire 3 1.57x
Lancashire 1 0.15x
Surrey 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 12 Swinfens recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.55x.

Place Total Index
Aston 12 30.55x
Hackney London 9 28.38x
Birmingham 8 16.83x
Islington London 8 14.59x
Dunton Bassett 6 7500.00x
Nottingham St Mary 5 25.36x
Burton Upon Trent 3 67.11x
Whitwick 3 375.00x
Bottesford 1 384.62x
Lambeth 1 2.03x
Manchester 1 3.31x
St Martin In Fields 1 29.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Florence 3
Ann 2
Clara 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Maria 1
Nelly 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

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 Swinfen households.

FAQ

Swinfen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swinfen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Swinfen surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swinfen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Swinfen a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Swinfen map show?

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