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

Swire, 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 Swire surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swire in America

Swire is the 45959th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swire surname appeared 464 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 Swire.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swire 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 Swire

The surname SWIRE is of English origin, originating in the 17th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "swira," meaning "neck" or "throat," possibly referring to a physical characteristic or occupation.

SWIRE is thought to have first emerged in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in northern England. Early variations of the spelling included Swyre, Swire, and Swyere. The name may have initially been a nickname or occupational surname for someone involved in the textile industry, such as a thread or yarn maker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SWIRE surname is found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1672, which list a John Swire residing in the village of Epworth, Lincolnshire. This document provides valuable insight into the name's early presence in the region.

The SWIRE name also appears in the Yorkshire Parish Registers of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, indicating its spread throughout northern England. Notable individuals with this surname include William Swire (1792-1847), a British merchant and entrepreneur who established a successful trading business in East Asia.

Another prominent figure was John Samuel Swire (1825-1898), a shipowner and founder of the Swire Group, one of the largest British companies operating in Asia. His descendants played a significant role in the expansion of the family business, establishing it as a leading conglomerate.

The SWIRE surname can also be found in historical records from the 19th century, such as the 1841 Census of England and Wales, which lists several families bearing this name in various parts of the country.

Other notable individuals with the SWIRE surname include Sir John Lancelot Swire (1862-1933), a British businessman and philanthropist, and Sir John Kemp-Welch (1907-1997), a British politician and member of the SWIRE family.

Throughout its history, the SWIRE surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, shipowners, entrepreneurs, and industrialists, particularly in the context of British trade and commerce with Asia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swire

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

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

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

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