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

Swede, 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 Swede surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swede in America

Swede is the 90113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swede surname appeared 205 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 Swede.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swede 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 Swede

The surname SWEDE has its origins in medieval Scandinavia, specifically in the regions that are now known as Sweden. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "Sviþjod," which referred to the Swedish mainland. It was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who hailed from Sweden or had Swedish ancestry.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname SWEDE can be found in various medieval records and chronicles from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a man named Sweyn Swede in the Liber Vitae of Durham Cathedral, which dates back to the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a survey of landowners and tenants conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I. The rolls mention a certain Willelmus le Swede, indicating the surname's use as an ethnic identifier at the time.

Throughout the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, the SWEDE surname was associated with individuals who had migrated from Sweden or had Swedish ancestry. One notable bearer of the name was John Swede, a 16th-century English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1544 to 1545.

Another individual of historical significance was Theodorus de Swede, a 17th-century Dutch painter and engraver who was born in Haarlem in 1604 and is known for his allegorical works and portraits.

In the late 18th century, a man named Carl SWEDE (1757-1829) gained recognition as a Swedish-born American politician and diplomat. He served as the first Swedish consul to the United States and played a role in negotiating the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Sweden and the newly formed United States in 1783.

The SWEDE surname has also been associated with notable figures in the military and exploration realms. One such individual was Nils SWEDE (1836-1890), a Swedish-born American soldier and explorer who served in the American Civil War and later led expeditions to the Arctic regions.

Lastly, Olof SWEDE (1847-1912), a Swedish-born American engineer and inventor, is remembered for his contributions to the development of early telephone technology. He worked closely with Alexander Graham Bell and held several patents related to telephone transmitters and receivers.

While the surname SWEDE has Swedish origins, it has been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and nationalities over the centuries, reflecting the global migration and cultural exchange that has shaped many family names throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swede

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

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

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

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