2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Swidan
A surname of Arabic origin meaning a bundle of arrows or missiles.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Swidan. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Swidan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Swidan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Swidan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.7%) and Hispanic (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swidan
The surname SWIDAN is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Oxfordshire, deriving from the Old English words "swīð" meaning "strong" and "ān" meaning "one" or "alone". This combination suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone perceived as a formidable or solitary individual.
One of the earliest known references to the SWIDAN surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1196, where a certain Robert Swidan is mentioned as owing taxes to the crown. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the late medieval period in England.
Another notable historical figure bearing the SWIDAN surname was Sir William Swidan, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He was born in 1320 and is documented as having participated in several key battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.
In the 16th century, the SWIDAN name appeared in the parish records of the village of Swinbrook, located in the Cotswolds region of Oxfordshire. This village name likely shares a similar etymology to the surname, further reinforcing the connection between SWIDAN and its geographical origins.
During the 17th century, a prominent individual named John SWIDAN (1625-1688) gained recognition as a renowned scholar and linguist. He studied at the University of Oxford and later became a Fellow of Merton College, making significant contributions to the study of ancient languages and literature.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth SWIDAN (1701-1782), a philanthropist and landowner from Berkshire. She was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions and endowments in her local community, leaving a lasting impact on the region's educational and social welfare initiatives.
Throughout its history, the SWIDAN surname has been subjected to various spelling variations, including Swiden, Swydan, and Swidon, reflecting the fluidity of English orthography over the centuries. However, the core meaning and essence of the name have remained largely intact, reflecting its strong and resilient origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swidan
Among Census respondents with the surname Swidan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.7%) and Hispanic (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Swidan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Swidan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 105
- Two or more races6.7% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swidan
Swidan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+10 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,664 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 7,664 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Swidan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #142,788 | 5.1% |
| Count | 109 | 119 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swidan bearers went from 109 to 119 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 7,664 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #142,788.
FAQ
Swidan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swidan?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Swidan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Swidan?
Swidan ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Swidan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Swidan.
Has Swidan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swidan went from 109 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 10 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Swidan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swidan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.7%) and Hispanic (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Swidan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swidan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Two or More Races (6.7%), Hispanic (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Swidan (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Swidan mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning a bundle of arrows or missiles. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Swidan (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Swidan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.