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Swyer Family History

Swyer Surname Meaning

from Swyre (Dorset) which is recorded as Swere in 1196 and Swyre in 1288.

The place-name derives from Old English swēora or swȳra ‘neck of land’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Swyer family from?

You can see how Swyer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Swyer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Swyer families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 58 Swyer families living in Dorset. This was about 37% of all the recorded Swyer's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Swyer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Swyer 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 Swyer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Swyer. 17% of Swyer men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Swyer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Swyer were Jobbing Gardener and Cook.

View Census Data for Swyer | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Gardener
    17%
  • Milk Roundsman
    17%
  • Jobbing Gardener
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Cook
    3%

What Swyer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Swyer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Swyer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Swyer

Passenger Lists

There are 597 immigration records available for the last name Swyer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Swyer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 348 military records available for the last name Swyer. For the veterans among your Swyer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Swyer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Swyer family history

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What is the average Swyer lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Swyer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Swyer in 1962 was 67, and 79 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Swyer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Swyer 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.

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