NameCensus.

UK surname

Szwarc

A Polish surname derived from the German word "schwarz," meaning "black."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Reading and West Berkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Szwarc is 119 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2014

119 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Szwarc surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Szwarc surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Szwarc 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
1997 modern 41 #33,552
1998 modern 43 #33,557
1999 modern 47 #33,320
2000 modern 48 #33,288
2001 modern 45 #33,401
2002 modern 46 #33,631
2003 modern 45 #33,803
2004 modern 47 #33,819
2005 modern 54 #33,433
2006 modern 64 #32,839
2007 modern 79 #31,628
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 87 #31,489
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 90 #31,564
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Szwarcs 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 Wolverhampton, Reading, West Berkshire and Kirklees. 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 Wolverhampton 005 Wolverhampton
2 Reading 005 Reading
3 West Berkshire 005 West Berkshire
4 Kirklees 004 Kirklees
5 Wolverhampton 010 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Szwarc

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Szwarc

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Szwarc surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Szwarc 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Szwarc is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Szwarc is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Szwarc falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Szwarc 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Szwarc

The surname Szwarc originates from Poland, where it first emerged in the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the German word "schwarz," meaning "black," which likely referred to a person with dark hair or complexion. This name may have been initially bestowed as a descriptive nickname before becoming an inherited surname.

In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as Schwarcz or Schwarze in various Polish records from the 15th and 16th centuries. Over time, the spelling evolved into the more distinctly Polish form of Szwarc, reflecting the influence of the local language and pronunciation patterns.

One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Jan Szwarc, a merchant from Krakow, whose name was mentioned in a trade register from 1487. Another early example is Mikołaj Szwarc, a landowner from the village of Łęczyca, whose name appeared in a land deed from 1521.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Szwarc became more widespread throughout Poland, particularly in the regions of Silesia, Greater Poland, and Lesser Poland. Some notable individuals bearing this surname from this era include Andrzej Szwarc, a renowned painter from Wrocław, active in the mid-16th century, and Katarzyna Szwarc, a philanthropist from Poznań, who founded a charitable organization for orphans in the late 17th century.

As the surname spread and became more established, it also gave rise to various place names and toponyms derived from it. For instance, the village of Szwarcenowo in northern Poland is believed to have originated from the name of its founding landowner or settler, likely bearing the surname Szwarc.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname Szwarc emerged, including Franciszek Szwarc (1782-1861), a Polish military officer and veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, and Józef Szwarc (1835-1908), a prominent architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Warsaw and Łódź.

Another significant figure was Władysław Szwarc (1886-1944), a Polish chemist and inventor who made important contributions to the development of synthetic rubber and held numerous patents in this field. Tragically, he perished during the Warsaw Uprising against Nazi occupation in 1944.

While the surname Szwarc is primarily associated with Poland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical roots can be traced back to the Polish lands, where it emerged as a distinctive surname with a rich and diverse history spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Szwarc surname: questions and answers

How common is the Szwarc surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Szwarc a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Szwarc surname mean?

A Polish surname derived from the German word "schwarz," meaning "black."

What does the Szwarc map show?

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