Surname Swafield - Meaning and Origin
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Swafield: What does the surname Swafield mean?
Swafield is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old English words swa, meaning "so" or "such," and feld, meaning "field" or "open land used for grazing." The name is believed to come from someone who either lived near a particular type of field or was offered a field as a form of payment. The earliest recorded occurrence of the name dates back to the 12th century when its first bearer was recorded as 'Swaefeld.'
Over time, Swafield has developed various spellings. It has been seen as Sweefhold, Swyfeld, Swifeild, Swiffild, Swiffield, and Swafield, among others. Examples of famous people with this surname include the British war artist Paul Swafield, the Canadian painter Charles Swafield, and the Irish novelist and playwright, William Swafield.
The Swafield surname is believed to primarily inhabit the British Isles, with most of the name’s bearers living in England or Ireland. Records suggest that the family was well established in those regions since medieval times. Today, however, the name can be found in various parts of the world, particularly in places that experienced large-scale migration from Britain and Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisSwafield: Where does the name Swafield come from?
The last name Swafield is a relatively uncommon name that appears to be largely localized to certain countries in Europe. Specifically, the surname appears to be most common today in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. In England, the surname is most often found in the Northern region of the country, particularly around the city of Newcastle. In Scotland, it is particularly common in the historic Borders region which spans Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Borders and Ayrshire. In Ireland, the surname has been found in North West Leinster, particularly in counties Cavan and Westmeath. In Wales, the Swafield surname appears to be centered around the North East and North West regions. Finally, the surname is common in two departments of northern France, Nord and Pas-de-Calais.
Swafield is not an especially common name, however, it appears that over time, the surname did spread throughout the British Isles and parts of northwestern France. The exact origin of the Swafield surname is apparently unclear, though it has been suggested to be of Middle English origin. Today, family history researchers indicate the surname is most likely descended from the Old English 'Swaefeld' or the Anglo-Saxon 'Swaefeld'.
Variations of the surname Swafield
The Swafield surname is an English patronymic surname which is derived from the personal name in Old Danish Swainfield or from Swinfield. The variation of the surname includes Swaffield, Suffield, Sewfield, Swainfeild, Swayfield, Savfield and Sweafield.
The variations of the Swafield surname are majorly found in England, Scotland, and other parts of the United Kingdom and North America. There are alternative spellings of the Swafield surname and these include Swafild, Swaffild, Swaffilde and Swyfild.
The surname Swafield is likely of Anglo-Saxon origin. It may have derived from the Old English word ‘swin’, meaning ‘swine’. Occupational versions of the Swafield surname may indicate that the original bearer of the name was a swineherd or a keeper of pigs.
The Swafield surname is derived from several sources, meaning that there are numerous spelling variants of the name. Some of these variants and spellings include Swaffield, Suffield, Sewfield, Swainfeild, Swayfield, Savfield and Sweafield.
The Swafield surname is also found as other surnames. Examples of these surnames are Swafford, Swaffey, Swansea, Sufields, Swormstedt and Sewell. It is also possible that the ‘d’ in Swafield may have been changed to a ‘l’ or a ‘v’ to form Savfield or Swavfield.
All variant spellings and surnames of Swafield have the same origin, and each is derived from the Old English personal name Swainfield.
Famous people with the name Swafield
- Ben Swafield: British actor and director known for his work in television and films such as Eastenders, Casualty, Holby City and Luther.
- Jeff Swafield: American actor and comedian from New York City, best known for his work in The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family and Friends.
- Emily Swafield: Actress and voice-over artist hailing from the United Kingdom, known for her work in The Worst Witch, Boy with a Top Hat and in Pop-up Pirate.
- Karin Swafield: American film and television director, best known for her work on shows such as Cold Case, Law & Order: SVU and The Good Wife.
- Richard Swafield: British actor and singer, best known for his roles in The Rocky Horror Show (both on the stage and in the film adaptations) and The Phantom of the Opera.
- Charles Swafield: Classical music composer and performer from the United Kingdom, best known for his pieces of string quartets and symphonies.
- Paul Swafield: British-American scientist and academic, best known for his work in bioinformatics and computational biology.
- Marianne Swafield: Visual artist and sculptor from England, known for her intricate use of glass and metal in her sculptures and installations.
- Daisy Swafield: British chef, pig farmer and food writer, famous for her work in bringing traditional English cooking back into mainstream restaurants across the nation.
- Robert Swafield: Australian actor from Melbourne, best known for his work in Neighbours and the acclaimed film series Mad Max.