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Swift Family History

Swift Name Meaning

English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): nickname for a rapid runner from Middle English swift ‘swift fleet’ (Old English swift) or else from the Middle English personal name Swift (Old English Swift). Irish: when not the English name an Anglicization (part translation) of Gaelic Ó Fuada which is based on fuad ‘haste’ (see Foody ). Americanized form of some similar (like-sounding) Jewish name.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Sweet, Witt, Saint, Stiff, Swart, Wint, Twist, Swick, Gift, Swing

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Swift family from?

You can see how Swift families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Swift family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Swift families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 233 Swift families living in Ontario. This was about 47% of all the recorded Swift's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Swift families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Swift surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Swift ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Swift. 31% of Swift men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Swift women worked as a Nurse. Some less common occupations for Americans named Swift were Machinist and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Swift | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    31%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Machinist
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Nurse
    22%
  • Clerk
    22%
  • Operator
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Swift family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 310,000 census records available for the last name Swift. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Swift census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Swift

Passenger Lists

There are 29,000 immigration records available for the last name Swift. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Swift immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 45,000 military records available for the last name Swift. For the veterans among your Swift ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Swift military records

You've only scratched the surface of Swift family history

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What is the average Swift lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Swift life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Swift in 1943 was 43, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Swift

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