Find out how popular the last name Swaw is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Swaw.
A surname potentially derived from a variant pronunciation of the word "shawl".
Swaw, 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 Swaw surname is from the 2010 census data.
Swaw is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Swaw surname appeared 178 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Swaw.
We can also compare 2010 data for Swaw 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 101247 | 117538 | -14.89% |
Count | 178 | 137 | 26.03% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.05 | 18.18% |
The surname "SWAW" is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has been lost to history. The name may have originated from a small village or hamlet, as many English surnames were derived from the names of settlements where people lived.
One possible origin of the name "SWAW" could be from the Old English word "swā," which means "so" or "as." It may have been used to describe someone who lived near a particular landmark or feature, such as "the one who lives by the swā." However, this is merely a speculation, and the true origin of the name remains uncertain.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname "SWAW" dates back to the 14th century. In 1327, a man named John Swaw was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name was already established in that region during the early part of the 14th century.
Another early reference to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1380, where a certain Robert Swaw is mentioned. These historical records provide evidence that the name was in use in different parts of England during the late Middle Ages.
One notable individual with the surname "SWAW" was Sir John Swaw, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived in the 15th century. He represented the county of Somerset in the Parliament of England during the reign of King Henry VI.
Another person of note was William Swaw, born in 1562 in Lincolnshire. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Rector of Grimsby and later became a Canon of the Cathedral Church of Lincoln.
In the 17th century, there was a certain Thomas Swaw, born in 1612 in Gloucestershire. He was a merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the trading activities between England and the American colonies.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the United States was that of Jonathan Swaw, who was born in 1685 in Massachusetts. He was a farmer and landowner in the town of Ipswich, and his descendants continued to use the surname in the New England region.
Another notable figure with the surname "SWAW" was Elizabeth Swaw, born in 1734 in Virginia. She was a prominent figure in the early colonial society and was known for her philanthropic efforts in supporting education and charitable causes in her community.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Swaw.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Swaw was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 91.57% | 163 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 3.37% | 6 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 3.93% | 7 |
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 Swaw has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 91.57% | 93.43% | -2.01% |
Black | 3.37% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 3.93% | (S)% | (S)% |
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 Swaw was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/swaw-surname-popularity/">Swaw last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Swaw last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 17, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/swaw-surname-popularity/.
"Swaw last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/swaw-surname-popularity/. Accessed 17 June, 2025
Swaw last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/swaw-surname-popularity/.
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