Surname Swynnerton - Meaning and Origin
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Swynnerton: What does the surname Swynnerton mean?
Swynnerton is an English surname that originates from a place name. Swynnerton is a village located in Staffordshire, England. The name itself is believed to be derived from Old English words, possibly meaning "swine farm" from "swin" (pig, swine) and "tūn" (enclosure, settlement, farm). Thus, the surname Swynnerton might indicate ancestral ties to this locality or be occupational, referring to one's farming profession - particularly relating to pig farming. Over centuries, variations in its spelling evolved due to regional dialects and literacy levels. Like many English surnames, it was first recorded in the early 13th century. However, each family's origin story with this name might differ depending on their unique historical circumstances.
Order DNA origin analysisSwynnerton: Where does the name Swynnerton come from?
The surname Swynnerton is mostly found in the United Kingdom. The name is believed to have originated in England, and has become more common in the Northwest part of the country. In modern times, the name is most prevalent in Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire, and Yorkshire.
The Oxford Dictionary of Surnames states that the original form of the surname, Swynitone, is believed to have come from "Swine-tun," which translates to "swine's enclosures." This implies that the name was first given to someone living around fenced-in areas with pig farms.
Today, there can be many variations of the name, while still preserving its original spelling. This includes Swynnerton, Swinnerton, and Swinerton. It's also common in North America; especially in parts of Canada and the United States.
Although the name is not as abundant today as it once was, it is still relatively common. It is resurfacing in modern times due to families with English heritage reclaiming their ancestral names. For example, in England in 2018, the name was ranked 1700th out of 188,824 names in the country.
Variations of the surname Swynnerton
The surname Swynnerton is believed to be of Saxon origin and derived from the place name Swynnerton in the county of Staffordshire. It is thought that the place name in turn was derived from the Old English word ‘Swen’ (meaning ‘swan’) and the Old English word ‘tun’ (meaning ‘town’ or ‘enclosure’). The modern spelling of the surname therefore is Swynnerton, however, there are many other spellings and variants of the same name.
Some of the more commonly seen variants and spellings of Swynnerton include Swinnerton, Swinton, Sweynerton, Swynertone, Swynnerton, Swynnartone and Swynnertonne.
The surnames Swinnerton, Swynnerton and Swinton are also widely related. Swinnerton is thought to be a derivative of Swynnerton, whilst Swinton is derived from the place name of Swinton, a district in Greater Manchester. The origins of this place name go back to the early Anglo Saxon period and to a man named Swena, with the suffix ‘ton’ (meaning ‘town’).
The Swynnerton surname is also closely related to the names Swynerton, Sweynertone, Swynertone and Swynnartone. These are thought to originate from the place name Swynerton, a small village in the county of Staffordshire. The name Swynnertonne is thought to originate from the Lancashire village of that name.
In short, the surname Swynnerton has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These are Swinnerton, Swinton, Swynerton, Sweynertone, Swynertone, Swynnartone and Swynnertonne.
Famous people with the name Swynnerton
- Mary Swynnerton (1844-1933): a English painter, sculptor and suffragist, she pioneered the art nouveau movement in England.
- Frederick Swynnerton (1827-1903): a British contracting engineer, he was active in setting up drainage networks in many parts of the world.
- Edward Swynnerton (1795-1872): a notable English geologist and one of the first scientists to explore the Himalayas.
- Arthur Swynnerton (1802-1881): a British landowner and politician, he was active in the Liberal Party and served as a Member of Parliament and the High Sheriff of Staffordshire.
- Francis Swynnerton (1798-1867): an English architect, he is notable for founding The Architectural Magazine in 1834 and was a founding member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
- Laurence Swynnerton (1875-1951): a British civil servant and the Postmaster General of New South Wales, he also served as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons from 1922 to 1929.
- John Swynnerton (1671-1717): an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr, he was the last man beheaded for treason against King George I, on February 7th, 1717.