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

Swift, 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 Swift surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swift in America

Swift is the 1473rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swift surname appeared 24,249 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Swift.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swift 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 Swift

The surname Swift is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "swift" which means "moving quickly". It is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, between the 5th and 11th centuries AD.

The name was initially used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who was regarded as being particularly swift or agile. It may have been applied to a swift runner or messenger, or someone with a quick mind or movement. Over time, the nickname became hereditary and passed down as a surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Swift can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Suift". This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a detailed survey of land ownership in England, and it provides valuable insight into the distribution of surnames during that period.

In the 13th century, the name is recorded in various spelling variations, such as Swyft, Swifft, and Swifte. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling rules and the influence of regional dialects.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Swift include the famous English satirist and author Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), best known for his works "Gulliver's Travels" and "A Modest Proposal". Another prominent figure was Sir Josiah Swift (1667-1745), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Other historical figures with the surname Swift include:

• Ebenezer Swift (1666-1732), an American-born English bishop and missionary
• Benjamin Swift (1781-1875), an American naval officer during the War of 1812
• John Swift (1630-1679), an English churchman and religious writer
• Thomas Swift (1661-1752), an English clergyman and author

The surname Swift has also been associated with various place names throughout England, including Swift's Green in Suffolk, Swift's Vale in Gloucestershire, and Swift's Brook in Cambridgeshire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname Swift who lived or owned land in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swift

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

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

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

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