Surname Swintoun - Meaning and Origin

Swintoun: What does the surname Swintoun mean?

The last name Swintoun is of Scottish origin which means one who lives near a swine town. It originates from a location called ‘swinestoun’ which could be translated from old English or Scottish Gaelic into ‘swine town’ and this may have been a location where pigs were kept and bred. It may also refer to a place where pigs foraged for food or simply an area of land where wild pigs dwelled.

The surname Swintoun is unisex and has been historically used by both women and men. It is also extremely rare, being found in the United Kingdom and only a handful of people in the United States and Canada.

Swintoun is associated with the Clan MacGillivray of Loch Alsh who are one of the oldest clans of the Highlands in Scotland. The name Swintoun is linked with the MacGillivray of Loch Alsh as a branch of the original family is believed to have taken the name in the 14th century. The MacGillivray family was a group of prosperous farmers and they held land near the river Dornoch and north of Loch Alsh.

Overall, the last name Swintoun is a rare but interesting name with a unique meaning and history. It speaks to a rich Scottish heritage and a past filled with hard-working and enterprising people.

Swintoun: Where does the name Swintoun come from?

The surname Swintoun is not particularly common in any particular region today, although there are families with this name living across the globe. Some of the countries with people bearing the Swintoun surname are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. In the United States, Swintoun families are found primarily in Southern states, particularly Texas and Florida. In the UK, families with the Swintoun surname are found mainly in Scotland, particularly around Glasgow, Edinburgh and Fife. Australia and Canada have fairly small populations of Swintoun households, although there are families living in both countries.

The Swintoun surname can be traced back to Scotland where it originated in the Scottish Borders, according to family records. It appears to be derived from the Old English words for swine and tun, which assembled together mean "Swine hamlet" or "Swine village". This was likely an area that was heavily populated with pigs, and over time the name became associated to the families living in the area.

The name Swintoun does not appear to be particularly popular today, likely due to its geography-based origin. That said, in the United States, Swintoun is the 2,001st most common surname, indicating that while it may not be overly prevalent, there are still people across the world who carry the Swintoun name.

Variations of the surname Swintoun

The Swintoun surname is relatively rare, with several variants that have been used throughout history. The most common spelling of the name is Swintoun, however, alternative spellings have been found, primarily in Scotland.

Variant spellings of the name are: Swinton, Swyntoun, Swintun, Swyntoun, Swintan, Swyntan and Swentaune.

The Swinton branch of the name is most prominent, and is thought to have originated from a series of villages in Oxfordshire, England. The place name is derived from the Old English element ‘Swine’, meaning the swineherd settlement and ‘tun’, meaning an enclosure or homestead.

The Swyntoun branch of the name is thought to be derived from the barony of Swintoun in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The place name is derived from the Gaelic ‘suidhe’, meaning hill, and ‘dùn’, meaning a fort. It is likely that the family was originally of Gaelic origin and adopted the name from this location.

Other surnames derived from a variant of the Swintoun name include Swindwick, Swindall, Swindal, Swantun, Swantin, and Swanten.

In conclusion, the Swintoun surname has a number of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. It is likely that the family were originally of English or Gaelic origin, with the name being derived from either a place name or occupation.

Famous people with the name Swintoun

• Tony Swintoun: American novelist
• Edward Swintoun: British actor
• Kyle Swintoun: Scottish rugby player
• William Swintoun: English poet
• Sandro Swintoun: Argentine politician
• Georgina Swintoun: British philanthropist
• Debbie Swintoun: Australian singer
• Roderick Swintoun: Scottish historian
• Ken Swintoun: Canadian business executive
• Scott Swintoun: American politician
• Tom Swintoun: New Zealand chess champion
• Scott Swintoun: American Marine Corps officer
• Mark Swintoun: American businessman
• Euan Swintoun: Irish MP
• Ruby Swintoun: English author
• Paul Swintoun: Danish composer
• Lucinda Swintoun: British singer-songwriter
• Aiden Swintoun: Welsh fashion designer
• Glen Swintoun: Scottish politician
• Sam Swintoun: American football player

Other surnames

Swinton