The Swanson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 76,897 people carried this name — #424 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 3,840 people counted. About the same as in 2000 (76,539).

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What the name means

The meaning of the Swanson surname

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 the Nordic population registers

129 people named Swanson is counted in Sweden.

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

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 129

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).

In Scotland’s registers today

Swanson was recorded 26 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 937th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 47. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Swanson in American newspapers,
1900–1929.

Newspaper page from The Stark County Democrat carrying the name Swanson
The Stark County Democrat 1900-12-11
Newspaper page from The Sisseton Weekly Standard carrying the name Swanson
The Sisseton Weekly Standard 1913-10-31
Newspaper page from Las Vegas Age carrying the name Swanson
Las Vegas Age 1929-11-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 296,511 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Swanson in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

21,792 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Swanson. The most, 5,758, 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 the Northern Territory, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 7,126
Queensland 5,231
Victoria 5,076
South Australia 1,753
Western Australia 1,709
Tasmania 619
Northern Territory 105
ACT (Canberra) 87

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

Who carried it

People named Swanson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Swanson
    William Swanson 1819–1903 · politician
  • Donald Swanson
    Donald Swanson 1848–1924 · police officer
  • Donald Alexander Swanson
    Donald Alexander Swanson 1859–1940 · building contractor
  • Claude A. Swanson
    Claude A. Swanson 1862–1939 · lawyer
  • Theodore Swanson
    Theodore Swanson 1873–1959 · businessperson

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Theodore Swanson: Political Graveyard from Ann Arbor, MI, CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 262 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Swanson,
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 States7,327 records

7,327 records of the Swanson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,501
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 1,638
  • Other U.S. records 3,188
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Henry Swanson

    Born 1948; from Nashville, Tennessee. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Pleiku, South Vietnam. Buried at Nashville National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Fred W. Swanson

    Born 1921 in New York. Enlisted 1944 at Camp Upton Yaphank; checker from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1975, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 25; nurse. From Berlin, Germany; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 7,327 records for Swanson in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (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: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia593 records

593 records of the Swanson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 314
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 125
  • Other Australian records 154
  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 Thomas Swanson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the General Stuart, arriving 1818; certificate of freedom 1825.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Swanson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Hotspur, aged 18; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Robert Swanson

    Enlisted in 1915 with the 24th Battalion. Honoured on the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.

    City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU)

Showing 3 of 593 records for Swanson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Canada216 records

216 records of the Swanson name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 83
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 41
  • Other Canadian records 92
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Emil Swanson

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Odessa, landing at New York, bound for Aurora, Ontario; Norwegian.

    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 Swanson

    Died 1993, aged 75; buried at St. Vital 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 Evelyn Jean Swanson

    Died 1927 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 216 records for Swanson in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · 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 Kingdom28 records

28 records of the Swanson name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 11
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • Other British records 9
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander Swanson

    Born 1877 at Durness; fisherman. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Swanson

    Died 1920, aged 52; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Swanson

    Buried in 1816 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 41.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 28 records for Swanson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (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); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand23 records

23 records of the Swanson name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 19
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Joseph Swanson

    Died 1982, aged 65; buried at Waimairi 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 Ethel Mary Swanson

    Buried in 1991 at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough, aged 87.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hjalmar Swanson

    Died 1973, aged 89; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Swanson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Swanson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • 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 Daniel Swanson

    Married in 1705 in Breda.

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

    Born 1813 in Maurik.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Swanson in the Netherlands.

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).

France1 record

1 record of the Swanson 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 Richard Swanson

    Born 1948 in the United States; died 1992 in Montpellier (Hérault).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Swanson name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Virginie Swanson

    Married in 1902 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Swanson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Swanson 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.

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