Find out how popular the last name McSwain is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named McSwain.

McSwain, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the McSwain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McSwain in America

McSwain is the 5600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McSwain surname appeared 6,213 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname McSwain.

We can also compare 2010 data for McSwain to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name McSwain

The surname McSwain originates from Scotland and dates back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Suibhne," meaning "well-going" or "swift." The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" means "son of" in Gaelic, indicating the name's patronymic origin.

The name is believed to have been first used in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire. It was originally spelled as "MacSuibhne" or "MacSween," and various spelling variations emerged over time, including McSwain, McSwaine, and McSwayne.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Godefrey McSweyn" is listed among the names from the county of Argyll.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Dougal McSwain, who served as a deputy to the Lord of the Isles in the Hebrides Islands. Another prominent figure was John McSwain, a Scottish warrior who fought in the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513 against the English.

During the 17th century, the McSwain family played a role in the Scottish Covenanting movement, which sought to preserve Presbyterian beliefs and resist interference from the Church of England. Robert McSwain, born in 1620, was a prominent Covenanter and minister.

Other noteworthy individuals with the surname include:

1. William McSwain (1828-1900), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
2. Enoch McSwain (1835-1909), an American soldier who fought in the Civil War and later became a Baptist minister.
3. John Stevenson McSwain (1869-1936), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the McSwain Theatre Corporation in North Carolina.
4. James McSwain (1884-1965), a Scottish professional golfer who won the British Open in 1914.
5. Robert McSwain (born 1962), an American former professional baseball player and coach.

The McSwain surname has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McSwain's Loch in Argyll and McSwain's Glen in Perthshire, reflecting the family's historical presence in these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McSwain

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname McSwain.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for McSwain was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of McSwain has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name McSwain was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of McSwain, please contact us.

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