NameCensus.

UK surname

Swingler

An English surname derived from an obsolete word meaning "to toil or labor hard".

In the 1881 census there were 561 people recorded with the Swingler surname, ranking it #6,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 631, ranked #8,372, down from #6,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Lubenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, Calderdale and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Swingler is 858 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.5%.

1881 census count

561

Ranked #6,174

Modern count

631

2016, ranked #8,372

Peak year

1911

858 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Swingler had 561 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 631 in 2016, ranked #8,372.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 858 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Swingler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Swingler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Swingler 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 357 #6,620
1861 historical 374 #6,826
1881 historical 561 #6,174
1891 historical 678 #5,761
1901 historical 828 #5,467
1911 historical 858 #5,172
1997 modern 703 #7,229
1998 modern 714 #7,362
1999 modern 719 #7,369
2000 modern 707 #7,436
2001 modern 690 #7,452
2002 modern 690 #7,597
2003 modern 656 #7,787
2004 modern 638 #7,939
2005 modern 621 #8,056
2006 modern 607 #8,214
2007 modern 605 #8,297
2008 modern 593 #8,496
2009 modern 599 #8,612
2010 modern 626 #8,507
2011 modern 629 #8,370
2012 modern 628 #8,297
2013 modern 630 #8,421
2014 modern 638 #8,380
2015 modern 624 #8,460
2016 modern 631 #8,372

Geography

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Where Swinglers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Peter, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Lubenham, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, Calderdale, Bassetlaw, Bristol and East Northamptonshire. 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 St Peter Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Lubenham Leicestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 003 Kettering
2 Calderdale 003 Calderdale
3 Bassetlaw 015 Bassetlaw
4 Bristol 036 Bristol, City of
5 East Northamptonshire 010 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Swingler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Swingler

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

Swingler is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Swingler

The surname Swingler is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to derive from the Old English words 'swine' meaning pig, and 'hyrde' meaning herdsman, thus referring to someone who tended pigs or swine. The name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone whose job involved herding pigs.

Another theory suggests the name could be a locational surname, derived from a place name containing the elements 'swine' and 'leah', meaning a clearing or meadow where pigs were kept. Early spellings of the name included Swyngler, Swynghyr, and Swyngherd.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which mention a Richard Swyngler. The Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327 also list a John le Swyngherd.

In the 15th century, a William Swingler was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire. During the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century, a John Swingler was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1539.

Notable individuals with the surname Swingler throughout history include:

1. Robert Swingler (c.1600-1670), an English Puritan minister and member of the Westminster Assembly. 2. John Swingler (1742-1815), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War. 3. Elizabeth Swingler (1805-1891), an English pioneer who settled in South Africa and established a farm in the Eastern Cape. 4. James Swingler (1857-1929), a British trade unionist and Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament. 5. Frederick Swingler (1892-1970), a British painter and war artist known for his portraits and landscapes.

While the name Swingler is not among the most common surnames, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and can be traced to various regions across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Swingler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Swingler 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. Leicestershire leads with 126 Swinglers recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.77x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 126 20.77x
Warwickshire 117 8.48x
Northamptonshire 86 16.71x
Yorkshire 37 0.68x
Middlesex 36 0.66x
Lincolnshire 34 3.89x
Derbyshire 24 2.80x
Staffordshire 22 1.19x
Nottinghamshire 17 2.30x
Lancashire 16 0.25x
Surrey 12 0.45x
Rutland 9 22.40x
Caernarfonshire 8 3.62x
Sussex 8 0.87x
Bedfordshire 2 0.71x
Hampshire 2 0.18x
Kent 2 0.11x
Banffshire 1 0.88x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Essex 1 0.09x

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 50 Swinglers recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.16x.

Place Total Index
Aston 50 13.16x
Birmingham 35 7.61x
Leicester St Margaret 32 21.63x
Leicester St Mary 19 38.76x
Wilbarston In Market 13 1368.42x
Litchurch 11 31.90x
Stanion 11 1666.67x
Whittington 11 291.01x
Lambeth 10 2.10x
Little Addington 10 1562.50x
Rugby 10 53.56x
Kimberworth 9 29.90x
Louth 9 44.89x
Nether Hallam 9 12.27x
Halifax 8 10.05x
Leicester Black Friars 8 202.53x
Lenton 8 46.06x
Market Harborough 8 291.97x
Nevin 8 212.77x
Clerkenwell London 7 5.42x
Crick 7 402.30x
Henfield 7 197.74x
Islington London 7 1.32x
Lubenham 7 630.63x
Monks Kirby 7 230.26x
Ratby 7 230.26x
Brampton 6 50.08x
Harborne 6 10.14x
Harpurhey 6 66.59x
Little Bowden 6 333.33x
Openshaw 6 19.73x
Roade 6 444.44x
Spittlegate 6 49.59x
St Swithin Lincoln 6 43.60x
Chiswick 5 16.72x
Derby St Alkmund 5 19.47x
Gilmorton 5 413.22x
Kensington London 5 1.64x
Northampton All Sts 5 28.62x
Rowley Regis 5 9.71x
Southam 5 149.25x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 5 40.62x
Welford 5 287.36x
Bainton 4 1250.00x
Chelsea London 4 2.43x
Cottingham 4 224.72x
Edgbaston 4 9.35x
Kibworth Beauchamp 4 190.48x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.10x
Shenton 4 975.61x
Solihull 4 40.32x
Uppingham 4 83.51x
Barnsley 3 5.36x
Bromley London 3 2.49x
Cosby 3 159.57x
Great Bowden 3 54.35x
Langham 3 234.38x
Leicester St Leonard 3 52.26x
St Pancras London 3 0.68x
Stoke Albany 3 500.00x
Tur Langton 3 576.92x
West Retford 3 196.08x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 3.96x
Bedford St Cuthbert 2 79.37x
Belton 2 281.69x
Bradfield 2 9.57x
East Langton 2 444.44x
Laxton 2 1052.63x
Leicester All Sts 2 16.78x
Little Bytham 2 350.88x
Littleover 2 137.93x
Markfield 2 66.45x
Mowsley 2 512.82x
Oldham 2 0.95x
Ordsall 2 35.40x
Stamford Baron St Martin 2 72.46x
Syston 2 35.21x
Tichmarsh 2 115.61x
Tothill 2 2222.22x
Westminster St 2 9.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 42
Thomas 28
Charles 15
George 14
Edward 10
James 8
Henry 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Tom 5
Walter 5
Edwin 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Josiah 2
Richard 2
Ann 1
Arther 1
Brice 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Elkanah 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Gustavus 1
Hugh 1
Jesoph 1
Jonathan 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Nathaniel 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
R. 1
Raymond 1
Wiliam 1
Willia 1
Zaccheus 1

FAQ

Swingler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Swingler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 561 people were recorded with the Swingler surname. That placed it at #6,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Swingler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 631 in 2016. That gives Swingler a modern rank of #8,372.

What does the Swingler surname mean?

An English surname derived from an obsolete word meaning "to toil or labor hard".

What does the Swingler map show?

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