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Schwan Family History

Schwan Surname Meaning

German: from Middle High German Middle Low German swan ‘swan’ applied as a nickname derived for a very clean person or for someone with a long neck;

alternatively a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a swan.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Schwan ‘swan’.

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


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Where is the Schwan family from?

You can see how Schwan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schwan family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Schwan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 34 Schwan families living in Ontario. This was about 58% of all the recorded Schwan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Schwan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schwan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Schwan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Schwan. 72% of Schwan men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Schwan women worked as a Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Schwan | 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
    72%
  • Clerk
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    100%

What Schwan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Schwan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schwan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Schwan

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Schwan. 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 Schwan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Schwan. For the veterans among your Schwan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schwan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Schwan family history

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What is the average Schwan lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Schwan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Schwan in 1943 was 30, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schwan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Schwan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Schwan family tree

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