2000
#14,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,911
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Schwan
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "swan," meaning a swineherd or pig farmer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,085 Americans carry the last name Schwan. That puts it at #15,509 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 164,391 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schwan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 164,391
Census rank
#15,509
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,818 bearers of the surname Schwan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15509th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schwan, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schwan
The surname Schwan originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It likely derived from the German word "Schwan," which means "swan," suggesting that the name may have been associated with a location or area where swans were commonly found.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Schwan can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various medieval records and documents. During this period, surnames were often derived from occupations, nicknames, or geographic locations, and it is possible that the name Schwan was initially given to someone who lived near a body of water frequented by swans or someone who was involved in activities related to these graceful birds.
In the 14th century, the name Schwan appeared in the Berner Schriften, a collection of official records from the city of Bern, Switzerland. This early reference suggests that the name had spread beyond the borders of Germany and was established in various regions of Central Europe.
One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname Schwan was Konrad Schwan, a prominent German theologian and reformer who lived from 1471 to 1552. Konrad played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and was a close associate of Martin Luther.
Another notable figure with the surname Schwan was Johann Schwan, a German composer and organist who lived from 1592 to 1622. Johann was renowned for his contributions to the development of the Lutheran church music tradition and was particularly known for his choral works.
In the 18th century, Johann Gottfried Schwan (1723-1778) was a German-born American botanist and entomologist who made significant contributions to the study of plants and insects in the American colonies. His work played a crucial role in the advancement of scientific knowledge during that era.
The surname Schwan also has connections to various place names and geographic locations throughout Germany and neighboring regions. For instance, the town of Schwaan in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, may have derived its name from the presence of swans in the area, and it is possible that the surname Schwan originated from this or a similar location.
While the surname Schwan has a rich history and can be traced back several centuries, it is important to note that individuals with this last name have made significant contributions across various fields, including religion, music, science, and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schwan
Among Census respondents with the surname Schwan, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Schwan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Schwan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 1,670
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 68
- Two or more races3.4% · 61
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 12
- Black or African American0.3% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schwan
Schwan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,545
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,049
+138 bearers (+7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 182 places
2020
#15,509
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,818
-231 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Down 964 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,363 | 1,911 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,545 | 2,049 | 0.69 | +138 bearers (+7.2%) | Down 182 places |
| 2020 | #15,509 | 1,818 | 0.61 | -231 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 964 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Schwan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,545 | #15,509 | -6.6% |
| Count | 2,049 | 1,818 | -11.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.61 | -11.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schwan bearers went from 2,049 to 1,818 (-11.3% change). The surname moved down 964 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,545 to #15,509.
FAQ
Schwan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schwan?
Name Census estimates that about 2,085 living Americans carry the surname Schwan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 164,391 residents.
How common is Schwan?
Schwan ranks #15,509 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,818 people with the surname Schwan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,085), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Schwan.
Has Schwan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schwan went from 2,049 recorded bearers to 1,818. That is a decrease of 231 (-11.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,545 to #15,509.
What does the Census say about the background of Schwan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schwan, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Schwan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (1,670 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schwan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Schwan (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Schwan mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "swan," meaning a swineherd or pig farmer. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Schwan (0.61 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Schwan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.