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

Swiss, 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 Swiss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Swiss in America

Swiss is the 48160th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Swiss surname appeared 439 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 Swiss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Swiss 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 Swiss

The surname "SWISS" is derived from the Old French word "suisse," which means "Swiss" or "from Switzerland." This surname originated in Switzerland during the Middle Ages and was initially used to identify individuals who were Swiss nationals or had migrated from Switzerland.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "SWISS" can be traced back to the 13th century in various Swiss cantons and neighboring regions. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by people who had moved from Switzerland to other parts of Europe, particularly Germany and France, where they were known as "the Swiss" or "les Suisses."

In the 14th century, the surname "SWISS" appears in several historical records, including the Codex Diplomaticus, which contains a collection of official documents from the Holy Roman Empire. One notable mention is that of Hans Swiss, a merchant from Zurich who lived in the late 14th century and was involved in trade with neighboring regions.

During the Renaissance period, the surname "SWISS" gained prominence as Swiss mercenaries and soldiers became renowned for their military prowess throughout Europe. One famous figure was Kaspar Swiss (1476-1552), a Swiss mercenary captain who served in the armies of various European monarchs, including the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

In the 17th century, the surname "SWISS" is found in several historical records, such as the parish registers of St. Gallen, Switzerland, where families with this surname were recorded. One notable individual was Johann Rudolf Swiss (1628-1708), a Swiss theologian and professor at the University of Zurich.

Another prominent figure bearing the surname "SWISS" was Johann Baptist Swiss (1793-1866), a Swiss painter and printmaker who was known for his landscapes and religious works. His artworks can be found in various museums and collections throughout Switzerland and Europe.

As the surname "SWISS" spread beyond Switzerland's borders, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Schweiss, Schweizer, and Switzer, reflecting the local pronunciations and adaptations in different regions. However, the original spelling "SWISS" remained prevalent in many parts of Europe and eventually became established in other parts of the world through migration and immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Swiss

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

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

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

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