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

Swart, 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 Swart surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swart in America

Swart is the 7418th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swart surname appeared 4,490 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 Swart.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swart 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 Swart

The surname Swart has its origins in the Low Countries, which today comprises the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. It dates back to the 13th century and is derived from the Middle Dutch word "swart," meaning black or dark-colored. The name likely referred to someone with dark hair or a dark complexion.

In the early days, surnames were often descriptive and based on physical characteristics, occupations, or places of origin. The name Swart falls into the category of descriptive surnames, denoting a person's appearance or distinguishing feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Swart can be found in the Dordrecht archives, dating back to 1279. The entry mentions a person named "Gerardus dicto Swart," which translates to "Gerard called Swart."

The name Swart was also mentioned in the Registers of the Leprosy House in Haarlem, Netherlands, in the 14th century. This document recorded the names of individuals who were admitted to the leprosy house, suggesting that the surname was in use during that time period.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name Swart was Jan Swart, a Dutch Renaissance painter born around 1490 in Groningen, Netherlands. He was known for his religious paintings and portraits, and his works can be found in various museums across Europe.

Another prominent individual with the surname Swart was David Swart, a Dutch explorer and navigator who lived in the 16th century. He was one of the first Europeans to explore and map parts of the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America.

Moving forward to the 17th century, Salomon Swart, a Dutch Golden Age painter born in 1591 in Groningen, Netherlands, gained recognition for his still-life paintings and landscapes. His works are housed in various art collections around the world.

In the 18th century, Theodoor Swart Theodoor Swart Rivière, a Dutch jurist and politician, played a significant role in the establishment of the Batavian Republic, a short-lived Dutch republic that existed from 1795 to 1806.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Swart was Dirk Swart, a South African rugby union player who represented the South African national team in the early 20th century, playing in several test matches between 1906 and 1910.

While the name Swart has Dutch origins, it has since spread to other countries and regions due to migration and diaspora. Today, the surname can be found in various parts of the world, with variations in spelling and pronunciation depending on the local language and cultural influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swart

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

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

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

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