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

Swank, 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 Swank surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swank in America

Swank is the 4526th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swank surname appeared 7,832 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Swank.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swank 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 Swank

The surname Swank is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "swanken," which means "to sway" or "to oscillate." This name likely originated in the 14th or 15th century and was initially an occupational name for a dancer or someone whose occupation involved swaying or rhythmic movements.

Swank is first recorded as a surname in German-speaking regions of Central Europe, particularly in areas such as Bavaria, Saxony, and Swabia. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Hans Swank, a farmer from the village of Kirchheim in Swabia, mentioned in records dating back to the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various historical documents, including the Kirchenbücher (church records) of several German towns and villages. For instance, a certain Johann Swank was recorded as a resident of the town of Esslingen in Württemberg in 1563.

The Swank surname eventually spread to other parts of Europe, and it can be found in various old records and manuscripts across the continent. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Bürgerverzeichnisse (citizen registers) of the city of Vienna, Austria, in the late 17th century.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Swank have achieved recognition in various fields. One of the earliest was Johannes Swank (1592-1670), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.

Another notable bearer of the name was Karl Swank (1837-1900), a German-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Swank Company, a successful manufacturer of men's accessories and jewelry based in New York City.

In the realm of literature, the name Swank is associated with Theodor Swank (1858-1932), a German-American writer and journalist who authored several books on social and political topics.

The 20th century saw the rise of prominent figures like Gloria Swanson (1899-1983), an American actress and producer who became a renowned star of the silent film era, and Walter Swank (1910-1970), an American artist known for his paintings and illustrations.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contribution of Dr. Roy L. Swank (1909-2008), an American neurologist and researcher who pioneered the study of dietary interventions for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, introducing the "Swank Diet" for managing the condition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swank

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

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 Swank 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 Swank 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 Swank was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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