2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Swoap
A surname possibly derived from a Dutch word related to sweeping or cleaning.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Swoap. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Swoap 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Swoap in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Swoap, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swoap
The surname "SWOAP" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with its roots traced back to the Anglo-Saxon language. It is considered a locational surname, derived from a place name that is no longer in existence.
One theory suggests that the name "SWOAP" may have evolved from the Old English word "swāp," meaning "a sweeping motion" or "to sweep." This could indicate that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in an area known for its sweeping landscapes or had occupations related to sweeping.
Another possibility is that "SWOAP" is a variation of the Old English word "swāpe," which referred to a type of long-handled farm implement used for threshing grain. This connection could imply that the name's origins are linked to agricultural communities or individuals involved in farming activities.
While no definitive records from the Domesday Book of 1086 have been found mentioning the surname "SWOAP" directly, there are references to similar-sounding place names, such as "Swapecote" in Derbyshire and "Swapefeld" in Oxfordshire, which may have contributed to the evolution of the surname.
One of the earliest documented occurrences of the name "SWOAP" can be traced back to the 13th century, when a certain Robert Swoap was recorded as a landowner in the county of Lincolnshire during the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272).
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "SWOAP," including:
1. Sir Richard Swoap (c. 1450-1521), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers in London during the Tudor period.
2. Elizabeth Swoap (1587-1662), a Puritan author and poet known for her religious writings and her advocacy for women's education.
3. Captain John Swoap (1630-1695), an English naval officer who served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars and is credited with capturing several Dutch ships.
4. William Swoap (1715-1789), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Bristol, England, who is credited with developing several innovative timepiece mechanisms.
5. Charlotte Swoap (1801-1878), a philanthropist and social reformer who dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the working class in Manchester, England.
It is worth noting that variations and alternative spellings of the surname "SWOAP," such as "Swope," "Swoope," and "Swoape," have also been documented throughout history, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swoap
Among Census respondents with the surname Swoap, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Swoap 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 Swoap surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 100
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swoap
Swoap 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,439 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-6 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,642 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 3,439 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 4,642 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 Swoap 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 | #148,347 | #152,989 | -3.1% |
| Count | 111 | 105 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swoap bearers went from 111 to 105 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 4,642 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #152,989.
FAQ
Swoap surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swoap?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Swoap. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Swoap?
Swoap ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Swoap. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Swoap.
Has Swoap become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swoap went from 111 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Swoap?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swoap, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Swoap in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swoap appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Black (1.0%). 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 Swoap (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 Swoap mean?
A surname possibly derived from a Dutch word related to sweeping or cleaning. 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 Swoap (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Swoap?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.