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

Swayzer, 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 Swayzer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swayzer in America

Swayzer is the 53667th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swayzer surname appeared 385 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 Swayzer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swayzer 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 Swayzer

The surname Swayzer is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has been significantly altered over time.

One possible origin of the name is from the Old English words "swæg" meaning "valley" and "sær" meaning "sour," suggesting it may have referred to a person who lived near a sour or acidic valley. Another theory links it to the Old English word "swægan," which means "to incline or bend," potentially indicating a connection to a person residing near a winding or meandering valley.

While no definitive historical records have been found mentioning the name Swayzer, it is possible that it may have appeared in local records or documents that have been lost or destroyed over the centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Swayzer dates back to the 16th century, with a John Swayzer mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Hertfordshire in 1582. Another early reference comes from the town of Southwark, where a Thomas Swayzer was listed in the borough records in 1621.

Notably, a prominent figure bearing the name Swayzer was Sir John Swayzer, a successful merchant and alderman who lived in London during the late 17th century. He was born in 1642 and passed away in 1712.

Another individual of note was William Swayzer, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath, England, during the 18th century. He was born in 1717 and died in 1787.

In the 19th century, the name Swayzer gained recognition through the works of the English novelist and essayist, Emily Swayzer. Born in 1823, she published several popular works, including "The Meadowlands" and "Sketches from the Countryside," before her death in 1898.

Other notable bearers of the Swayzer surname include Robert Swayzer, a prominent lawyer and judge in colonial America, who lived from 1698 to 1768, and Captain James Swayzer, a decorated naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, born in 1782 and passing away in 1854.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swayzer

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

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

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

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