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

Switch, 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 Switch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Switch in America

Switch is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Switch surname appeared 118 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 Switch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Switch 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 Switch

The surname SWITCH is of English origin, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name SWITCH is derived from the Old English word "swiċċe," which referred to a type of switch or twig used for various purposes, such as brushing or clearing paths.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SWITCH surname can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, where a certain John Switch was mentioned in an entry dated 1592. Additionally, the SWITCH name appeared in the Hearth Tax records of 1673, which documented households in various parts of England.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the SWITCH surname began to spread to other regions of England, and some members of the family ventured across the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies. Notable individuals bearing the SWITCH surname include:

1. William Switch (1622-1689), an English merchant and landowner who established a successful trading business in London.
2. Sarah Switch (1745-1812), a pioneering American educator and advocate for women's education in Massachusetts.
3. John Switch (1792-1867), a British explorer and naturalist who accompanied several expeditions to the Arctic regions.
4. Elizabeth Switch (1823-1901), a prominent American philanthropist and social reformer, known for her work in establishing orphanages and schools in New York City.
5. Thomas Switch (1876-1942), a British architect and urban planner responsible for designing several notable buildings in London and Manchester.

The SWITCH surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Switchfield in Kent, Switchlands in Bedfordshire, and Switchgate in Lincolnshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "swiċċe" and may have influenced the surname's development in certain regions.

Throughout its history, the SWITCH surname has undergone minor variations in spelling, including Switche, Swytch, and Swiche, reflecting regional dialects and scribal interpretations. However, the current spelling of SWITCH has become the most widely accepted and recognized form of the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Switch

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

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

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

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