2000
#8,279
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,678
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.36
Rare Last name
Swink
An English occupational surname referring to a hard worker or one who toils strenuously.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,945 Americans carry the last name Swink. That puts it at #9,124 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 86,883 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Swink 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
3.9K
1 in 86,883
Census rank
#9,124
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,440 bearers of the surname Swink in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9124th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Swink, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swink
The surname SWINK has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "swink," meaning "labor" or "toil," suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who worked hard or performed laborious tasks.
The earliest recorded instance of the name SWINK can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Swynk." This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence and its connection to the Old English word.
During the medieval period, the name SWINK was primarily concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, where it was associated with families engaged in agricultural or manual labor. The name may have been given as a descriptive surname to individuals who were known for their diligence and hard work.
In the 16th century, the SWINK surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Swinke," "Swincke," and "Swynke," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that era.
One notable individual bearing the SWINK surname was John Swink, born in 1625 in Berkshire. He was a farmer and landowner known for his agricultural innovations and contributions to the local community.
Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Swink, born in 1712 in Oxfordshire. She was a philanthropist and advocate for education, establishing several schools in her region to provide educational opportunities for underprivileged children.
In the 18th century, the SWINK surname spread beyond its traditional heartlands, with families settling in other parts of England and even venturing to the American colonies. One such individual was William Swink, born in 1745 in Oxfordshire, who later emigrated to Virginia and became a prosperous merchant.
The 19th century saw the rise of notable individuals bearing the SWINK name, including the writer and poet Mary Swink, born in 1822 in Berkshire. Her works explored themes of rural life and the experiences of the working class.
Another figure of note was Robert Swink, born in 1879 in Lancashire. He was a pioneering engineer who made significant contributions to the development of early aviation technology, working closely with the Wright brothers.
Throughout its history, the surname SWINK has maintained a strong connection to its Old English roots, reflecting the hard-working and industrious nature associated with its meaning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swink
Among Census respondents with the surname Swink, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Swink 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 Swink surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.9% · 2,990
- Black or African American5.7% · 195
- Two or more races3.7% · 126
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 96
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swink
Swink appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,690
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,779
+101 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 1.28
Rank movement Down 411 places
2020
#9,124
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,440
-339 bearers (-9.0%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 434 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,279 | 3,678 | 1.36 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,690 | 3,779 | 1.28 | +101 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 411 places |
| 2020 | #9,124 | 3,440 | 1.15 | -339 bearers (-9.0%) | Down 434 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 Swink 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 | #8,690 | #9,124 | -5.0% |
| Count | 3,779 | 3,440 | -9.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.28 | 1.15 | -10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swink bearers went from 3,779 to 3,440 (-9.0% change). The surname moved down 434 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,690 to #9,124.
FAQ
Swink surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swink?
Name Census estimates that about 3,945 living Americans carry the surname Swink. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 86,883 residents.
How common is Swink?
Swink ranks #9,124 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.15 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,440 people with the surname Swink. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,945), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.15 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Swink.
Has Swink become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swink went from 3,779 recorded bearers to 3,440. That is a decrease of 339 (-9.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,690 to #9,124.
What does the Census say about the background of Swink?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swink, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Swink in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.9% (2,990 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swink appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.9%), Black (5.7%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Swink (2000, 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 Swink mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a hard worker or one who toils strenuously. 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 Swink (1.15 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 have the surname Swink?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.