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

Swinford, 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 Swinford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swinford in America

Swinford is the 10176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swinford surname appeared 3,170 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Swinford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swinford 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 Swinford

The surname SWINFORD has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name Swinford, which can be found in several counties across the country, including Leicestershire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "swin" meaning "swine" or "pig" and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing, suggesting that the name referred to a location where pigs were herded across a ford.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SWINFORD can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Svineford" in reference to a settlement in Worcestershire. This historical record provides valuable insight into the prevalence and distribution of the name during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name SWINFORD was Sir John de Swinford, a knight who served under King Edward I and was granted lands in Wiltshire. Records from this period also mention a William de Swinford, who held estates in Oxfordshire around 1272.

During the 14th century, the name SWINFORD gained further prominence with the rise of Katherine Swynford (c.1350-1403), the mistress and later wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Their descendants, known as the Beaufort family, played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and the subsequent Tudor dynasty.

Another prominent individual with the SWINFORD name was Sir Roger Swinford (c.1370-1437), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Worcestershire, who was closely associated with the powerful Beauchamp family.

In the 16th century, records show a Richard Swinford (c.1510-1580) who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire and held the position of High Sheriff of the county.

The SWINFORD name continued to be found across various regions of England, with notable bearers including Sir John Swinford (1620-1679), a Royalist during the English Civil War, and Reverend John Swinford (1669-1734), a prominent clergyman and author from Worcestershire.

While the spelling and variations of the name have evolved over the centuries, the SWINFORD surname remains a testament to its locational origins, reflecting the rich tapestry of English history and the diverse backgrounds of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swinford

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

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

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

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