2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Swyter
A surname derived from the word "sweet," likely referring to someone with a pleasant personality or demeanor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Swyter. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Swyter 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Swyter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Swyter, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swyter
The surname "SWYTER" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "swete," which means "sweet" or "pleasant." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with a pleasant demeanor or a sweet disposition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, which mention a person named Adam Swyter. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century in the southwestern region of England.
In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records from different parts of the country, indicating its spread across England. For example, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 mention a William Swyter, while the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297 list a Robert Swyter.
The surname "SWYTER" has also been associated with certain place names, particularly in the county of Somerset. The village of Swyterton, now known as Sweetenton, is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "swete" and "tun," meaning "sweet settlement." It is possible that some individuals with the surname "SWYTER" may have originated from or been associated with this location.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname "SWYTER." One such person was John Swyter (c. 1400-1470), a prominent merchant and landowner from the city of Bristol. Another was William Swyter (c. 1530-1605), a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick.
In the 18th century, George Swyter (1712-1788) was a respected attorney and member of the Society of Antiquaries in London. He was known for his extensive collection of manuscripts and historical documents related to English legal history.
During the Victorian era, Emily Swyter (1837-1901) was a renowned author and poet, best known for her collection of romantic verse titled "Flowers of Love." She was widely acclaimed for her lyrical style and vivid descriptions of nature.
Henry Swyter (1860-1935) was a prominent industrialist and philanthropist from the city of Birmingham. He founded the Swyter Manufacturing Company, which produced high-quality tools and machinery, and was a major benefactor to various charitable organizations in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swyter
Among Census respondents with the surname Swyter, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Swyter 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 Swyter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 7
- Two or more races3.9% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swyter
Swyter appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,052 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 3,052 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 Swyter 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 | #157,234 | #154,182 | 1.9% |
| Count | 103 | 103 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 14.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swyter bearers went from 103 to 103 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 3,052 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #154,182.
FAQ
Swyter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swyter?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Swyter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Swyter?
Swyter ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Swyter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Swyter.
Has Swyter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swyter went from 103 recorded bearers to 103. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Swyter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swyter, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Swyter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swyter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Swyter (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 Swyter mean?
A surname derived from the word "sweet," likely referring to someone with a pleasant personality or demeanor. 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 Swyter (0.03 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 Swyter?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.