Surname Swesey - Meaning and Origin
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Swesey: What does the surname Swesey mean?
The surname Swesey is of English origin, derived from the place name Swinsey in eastern England. It is thought to have originally derived from the Anglo-Saxon words 'swebban', meaning to sway, and 'eg', meaning an area of land.
Swesey appears as early as 1329 in a list of landholders in the county of Essex as part of the Poll Tax. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Swesey families were living mainly in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The most famous holder of this surname was John Swesey, a minister in the late 17th century, who was a chaplain to Princess Anne and Bishop of St. David's in Wales.
Swesey is an uncommon surname, and there is no well-known family crest or coat of arms associated with it. However, some sources indicate that the family's motto may be "Gardez le foy", which translates to "protect the faith", a phrase that carries great meaning to those who are familiar with the history of the surname.
Today, Swesey remains a rare surname, with few holders bearing the name outside of England. Despite this, the surname carries a rich heritage of faith, strength, and perseverance, and represents a proud British family lineage spanning centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisSwesey: Where does the name Swesey come from?
The last name SWESEY is most commonly found in the United States. It is a variant of the English surname, Swasey, which is derived from the Old Norse personal name, Svasey, meaning ‘inhabitant of Swasey’, which is an area near Norwich.
In the United States, Swesey is most heavily concentrated in the states of North Dakota and California, but it can be found across the entire country. There is also a Swesey clan in Scotland, and in various parts of the world.
Swesey can be mostly found in the Southeastern states of the US. In North Carolina, it is the most populous Swesey surname, and has a population of over 2000 people. It is also common in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, as well as Virginia. In the Midwest,the largest population can be found in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
The last name has also become popular throughout the world. In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, it is the 24th most populous surname. It is also common throughout Europe, in countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Austria.
Outside of Europe, the Swesey surname can be found in Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of Asia, as well as Canada and Latin American countries.
Overall, the last name SWESEY can be found in a wide variety of countries and regions around the world, although it is most common in the United States.
Variations of the surname Swesey
The surname Swesey is an English surname that has multiple variants, spellings and derivative surnames. One primary variant is Sweazey, as found in records from the time of the Great Migration from England, a period of intense settlement and migration to the United States in the 1600s and 1700s. It is believed that this variant of the surname was first used in Massachusetts and elsewhere in New England.
Other variants, spellings and derivative surnames of Swesey include Sweezy, Swesey, Sweizy, Sweeny, Sweazy, Swiassy, Sweesy, Swinsey, Swinsy, Suzy, Sersy, Szewczeny, and Sewcy.
Variations of Swesey have also been found in Scotland, where the surname Swezi was recorded in 1559 and Sweesy in 1571 in the Index of Scottish Surnames by Black. Scottish families can also be identified by the spelling Swissey, and by derivatives such as Sursy, Suetsey, and Suenzy.
The spelling Sweesey is associated with the Netherlands, where it is believed to have originated in the fourteenth century. The spelling Sweesey was also once used in England, and Sweesy is still used in Ireland today.
In some cases, spellings and surnames of Swesey have changed to reflect native influences such as Swaizy, Swaisse, and Swayze, or to more phonetically significant spelling such as Swazey, Swazey, and Swasi. While the origin of the surname remains unknown, these variants, spellings, and derivative surnames provide insight into the geographical and cultural influences on the name.
Famous people with the name Swesey
- Bret Swesey: Senior Security Consultant at Iconectiv, a global telecommunications company.
- Lauren Swesey: Senior Manager of PR & Communications at Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
- Stephen Swesey: Managing Director and founder of BWS Partners, a venture capital firm.
- Tom Swesey: retired US Air Force colonel who is now the President of SPECTEL, Inc., a leading video teleconferencing company.
- Andy Swesey: former director of the Fullerton Arboretum and current Vice President at the World Wildlife Fund.
- Dr. Mary Swesey: noted pediatrician and professor at Harvard University Medical School.
- Peter Swesey: former VP of Infrastructure and Operations at e-commerce platform, Shopify.
- Sarah Swesey: dancer and choreographer who has been featured on the hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance.
- Dr. John Swesey: professor of physics at the University of Arizona and a renowned author.
- John Swesey Jr.: professional ice hockey player for the Colorado Eagles and 2015 AHL All-Star.