The Swann surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,293 people carried this name — #2,916 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,000 people counted. That is up 3% from 11,941 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Swann surname

A surname transferred from the nickname.

Variant of Swan.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Swann» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: Geoffrey Svan, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Swan, Swann, Swanne and Swanson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 730 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 21 people named Swann.

Most of them — 11 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Paris.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 11
Paris 4
Oise 3
Allier 1
Loire 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Swann was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Northumberland: 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. His list gives one count for the spellings Swan and Swann.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Northumberland 17
Durham 15
Essex 12
Derbyshire 11

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

Swann in American newspapers,
1851–1920.

Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Swann
Daily Kennebec Journal 1916-03-25
Newspaper page from Flag Of The Union carrying the name Swann
Flag Of The Union 1851-09-19
Newspaper page from The Evening World carrying the name Swann
The Evening World 1920-01-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,510 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Swann in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

17,253 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Swann. The most, 3,842, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 5,135
Victoria 4,860
New South Wales 4,294
Queensland 1,705
Tasmania 610
Western Australia 518
ACT (Canberra) 103
Northern Territory 2

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

Who carried it

People named Swann,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Swann
    Thomas Swann 1809–1883 · politician
  • Stephanie Elizabeth Swann d. 1970
  • Grace Evelyn Cochrane d. 1944
  • Susanna Swann 1651–1719
  • Samuel Swann 1704–1774 · politician
  • Henry Swann 1763–1824 · politician

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 Swann,
in the records of 7 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 States966 records

966 records of the Swann name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 491
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 171
  • Other U.S. records 304
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James F. Swann

    Born 1922 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1942 at Nashville; bakery worker from Maury County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Zion Churchyard, Columbia, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Johnny Delbert Swann

    Born 1945; from Atlanta, Georgia. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Enos Swann

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; farmer. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 966 records for Swann in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia444 records

444 records of the Swann name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 187
  • Tasmanian Names Index 96
  • Other Australian records 161
  1. 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 George Swann

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the David Malcolm, sailing from Downs in 1845. Native of Stalybridge, Cheshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1855. Married 1855 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 26.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Harry John Swann

    Born 1900 in Albuera St, Battery Point, Tasmania. Died 1936 in Tasmania, aged 36.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Harry Walter Swann

    Born 1880 in Sorell, Tasmania. Married 1900 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 444 records for Swann 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada41 records

41 records of the Swann name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 14
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 10
  • Other Canadian records 17
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jos Swann

    Came to Ontario in 1875 aboard the Nova Scotian, landing at Quebec, bound for Lefroy, 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 Margaret Alice Swann

    Died 1956, aged 60; buried at Transcona Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Earl Hamilton Swann

    Died 1963 in Kearney Lake Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 41 records for Swann in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. 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 Kingdom24 records

24 records of the Swann name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 22
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Swann

    Cheshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. W. Swann

    Corporal, Northamptonshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Swann

    Worcestershire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 24 records for Swann 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand13 records

13 records of the Swann name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 9
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Harry Joseph Swann

    Died 1997, aged 66; buried at Avonhead Memorial 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 Laurence Joseph Swann

    Buried in 1977 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 82.

    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 Isabella Swann

    Died 1959, aged 84; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Swann in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France7 records

7 records of the Swann 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 Robert Henry Bagehot Swann

    Born 1929 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Berthe Elisabeth Swann

    Born 1903 in Chantilly; died 2001 in Lamorlaye (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Peter Swann

    Born 1956 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Saint-Sulpice-d'Arnoult (Charente-Maritime).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Swann 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).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Swann name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Alfred Ernest Swann

    Married in 1946 in Tilburg.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Gerrit Swann

    Baptised in 1632 in Heusden.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Swann.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Swann.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Swann 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 Swann volume
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