2000
#1,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 22,082
First available Census row
Per 100,000 8.19
Uncommon Last name
Swan
Derived from the bird, likely referring to a person's appearance, grace, or a location associated with swans.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 25,437 Americans carry the last name Swan. That puts it at #1,578 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 13,475 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Swan 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Swan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
25K
1 in 13,475
Census rank
#1,578
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
22K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 22,182 bearers of the surname Swan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1578th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Swan, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.5%. The next largest groups are Black (12.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swan
The surname Swan has its origins in England, with records of the name dating back to the 12th century. It is an occupational name, derived from the Old English word 'swan', referring to someone who was a keeper or breeder of swans. In medieval times, swans were highly prized birds, and ownership was often restricted to the nobility and royalty.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the Swan surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1182, which mentions a Roger Swan. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include references to individuals with the Swan surname, such as Willelmus le Swan and Johannes le Swan.
The Swan name appears in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. It is likely that the name originated in these regions, where swan-keeping was a common occupation. Some early records suggest that the name may have also been derived from place names like Swanton in Norfolk or Swanscombe in Kent.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the Swan surname was John Swan (c. 1310 - c. 1380), a Franciscan friar and theologian from Lincolnshire. He was an influential scholar and author, known for his work on the theology of the Immaculate Conception.
Another prominent individual with the Swan surname was Sir William Swan (c. 1545 - 1616), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Southwark. He was involved in the establishment of the East India Company and served as its governor from 1607 to 1609.
In the literary world, John Swan (1753 - 1821) was an English poet and playwright from Derbyshire. He is best known for his satirical works, including the play "The Worshippers" and the poem "The Village Curate."
The Swan surname has also been associated with notable figures in the arts and sciences. Caleb Swan (1758 - 1809) was an American engraver and painter, renowned for his portraits and historical scenes. Joseph Swan (1828 - 1914), a chemist and physicist from Sunderland, England, is credited with inventing the first practical incandescent light bulb before Thomas Edison.
Throughout history, the Swan surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting its occupational origins and widespread distribution across England. While the name may have evolved over time, its connection to the graceful and revered swan has endured, contributing to its enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swan
Among Census respondents with the surname Swan, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.5%. The next largest groups are Black (12.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Swan 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 Swan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.5% · 16,977
- Black or African American12.2% · 2,710
- Two or more races4.7% · 1,032
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 739
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.1% · 469
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 255
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swan
Swan 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
#1,564
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,001
+919 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 7.80
Rank movement Down 87 places
2020
#1,578
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 22,182
-819 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 7.42
Rank movement Down 14 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,477 | 22,082 | 8.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,564 | 23,001 | 7.80 | +919 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 87 places |
| 2020 | #1,578 | 22,182 | 7.42 | -819 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 14 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 Swan 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 | #1,564 | #1,578 | -0.9% |
| Count | 23,001 | 22,182 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 7.80 | 7.42 | -4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swan bearers went from 23,001 to 22,182 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 14 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,564 to #1,578.
FAQ
Swan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swan?
Name Census estimates that about 25,437 living Americans carry the surname Swan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 13,475 residents.
How common is Swan?
Swan ranks #1,578 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 7.42 per 100,000 residents, which is about 7 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 22,182 people with the surname Swan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (25,437), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 7.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 7.42 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 7 of them to have the surname Swan.
Has Swan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swan went from 23,001 recorded bearers to 22,182. That is a decrease of 819 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,564 to #1,578.
What does the Census say about the background of Swan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swan, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.5%. The next largest groups are Black (12.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Swan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.5% (16,977 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.5%), Black (12.2%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Swan (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 Swan mean?
Derived from the bird, likely referring to a person's appearance, grace, or a location associated with swans. 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 Swan (7.42 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 have the last name Swan?
Want to know how common the surname Swan is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.