The Swain surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 25,157 people carried this name — #1,412 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,700 people counted. That is up 4% from 24,220 in 2000.

See Swain on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Swain surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Swain’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Adam fil. Suani, Lincolnshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Swain, Swaine and Swainson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 729 · public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

32 people named Swain live in Switzerland.

They live in 7 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Aargau.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Aargau 9
Vaud 6
Bern 4
Solothurn 4
Basel-Landschaft 3
Geneva 3
Zug 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

23 people named Swain is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 23

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Swain was found among the farmers of 6 counties.

It was most frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland: 17 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 588. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Leicestershire and Rutland 17
Lincolnshire 17
Devon 12
Derbyshire 10
Hertfordshire 10
Surrey 10

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Swain in American newspapers,
1886–1916.

Newspaper page from The Austin Weekly Statesman carrying the name Swain
The Austin Weekly Statesman 1888-08-23
Newspaper page from The Austin Weekly Statesman carrying the name Swain
The Austin Weekly Statesman 1886-05-27
Newspaper page from The Frontier carrying the name Swain
The Frontier 1916-02-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 249,148 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Swain in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

35,400 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Swain. The most, 6,532, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 11,212
Queensland 8,958
Victoria 5,599
Western Australia 4,297
South Australia 2,547
Tasmania 2,499
ACT (Canberra) 192
Northern Territory 32

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Swain.

Who carried it

People named Swain,
with a public archive behind them.

  • David Lowry Swain
    David Lowry Swain 1801–1868 · judge
  • Charles Swain
    Charles Swain 1801–1874 · composer
  • Emma Swain d. 1938
  • Norman V. Swain d. 1991
  • Anna Swain 1721–1795
  • Joseph Swain 1761–1796 · poet

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Swain,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,956 records

1,956 records of the Swain name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 835
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 368
  • Other U.S. records 753
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ruel S. Swain

    Born 1922 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Croft, South Carolina; farmer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Sandy Springs Baptist Church, Harmony, North Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Anna Swain

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Paris from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; housekeeper. From England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Vincent Swain

    Born 1932; from Denver County, Colorado. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; declared dead 1951 in South Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,956 records for Swain in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia851 records

851 records of the Swain name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 366
  • Tasmanian Names Index 205
  • Other Australian records 280
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Jane Swain

    Born 1871 in Longford, Tasmania. Married 1890 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 18.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Swain

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Geo Marshall, aged 29; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas Swain

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the John, arriving 1829; ticket of leave 1834.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 851 records for Swain in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada362 records

362 records of the Swain name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 281
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 23
  • Other Canadian records 58
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Swain

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the Dacia, landing at Quebec, bound for Weston, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Walter Thomas Swain

    Buried in 1968 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 59.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Swain

    Died 1916 in Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 362 records for Swain in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom57 records

57 records of the Swain name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 42
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 12
  • Welsh wills index cards 3
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Margaret Swain

    Will proved in 1938; of Oswestry, Salop.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isaac Baker Swain

    Buried in 1798 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 44.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Swain

    Cheshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 57 records for Swain in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand9 records

9 records of the Swain name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Albert Swain

    Died 1894, aged 62; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kathleen Victoria Swain

    Died 1994, aged 94; buried at Mercury Bay Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ada Elizabeth Swain

    Died 1923, aged 48; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Swain in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the Swain name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John Swain

    Died 1921 in Rotterdam, aged 38.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Eliza Swain

    Died 1855 in Utrecht, aged 40.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Swain in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France4 records

4 records of the Swain name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Francis John Lewis Swain

    Born 1914 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Honfleur (Calvados).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gladys Francine Marie Swain

    Born 1945 in Ablon (Calvados); died 1993 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Swain in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium2 records

2 records of the Swain name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Marie Jeanne Swain

    Died 1966 in Hofstade; born 1878 in Hougban Lincoln.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Julie Swain

    Died 1860 in Kortijk.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Kortrijk (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Swain.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Swain is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Swain volume
Scroll to Top