2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Swaggert
An English surname derived from an Old English word meaning "to swagger" or "boastful".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Swaggert. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Swaggert 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Swaggert in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Swaggert, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swaggert
The surname SWAGGERT is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, likely derived from an Old English personal name or occupation. One theory suggests it may have evolved from the word "swaggerer," referring to someone with a swaggering or boastful demeanor.
Another possibility is that SWAGGERT stems from a place name or location, as many English surnames trace their roots to specific towns, villages, or geographic features. However, there is no definitive record of a place called "Swaggert" in historical records.
The earliest known mention of the SWAGGERT surname dates back to the 15th century, appearing in various legal documents and parish registers across England. One notable early bearer of the name was William SWAGGERT, a farmer from Oxfordshire, born around 1530.
In the 16th century, a branch of the SWAGGERT family settled in the county of Somerset, where they established themselves as prosperous landowners. John SWAGGERT (1565-1632) was a prominent figure in this lineage, serving as a local magistrate and landowner in the village of Curry Rivel.
As the British Empire expanded, some SWAGGERTS migrated to the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries. One such individual was Thomas SWAGGERT (1695-1778), who settled in Virginia and later fought in the Revolutionary War.
In the 19th century, the SWAGGERT surname gained recognition through the accomplishments of several noteworthy individuals. Sarah SWAGGERT (1815-1892) was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, establishing one of the first schools for girls in New England.
Another prominent figure was Henry SWAGGERT (1845-1921), a successful industrialist and philanthropist who made his fortune in the steel industry. His charitable donations helped establish several universities and hospitals across the United States.
The 20th century saw the rise of evangelist Jimmy SWAGGERT (1935-present), a controversial figure in the Pentecostal movement who founded the Family Worship Center Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
While the SWAGGERT surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has since been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving an indelible mark on various aspects of history and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swaggert
Among Census respondents with the surname Swaggert, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Swaggert 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 Swaggert surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swaggert
Swaggert 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,333 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-4 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,805 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 5,333 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 4,805 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 Swaggert 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 | #143,149 | #147,954 | -3.4% |
| Count | 116 | 112 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swaggert bearers went from 116 to 112 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 4,805 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #147,954.
FAQ
Swaggert surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swaggert?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Swaggert. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Swaggert?
Swaggert ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Swaggert. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Swaggert.
Has Swaggert become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swaggert went from 116 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Swaggert?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swaggert, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Swaggert in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swaggert appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Swaggert (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 Swaggert mean?
An English surname derived from an Old English word meaning "to swagger" or "boastful". 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 Swaggert (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Swaggert?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.