Show ContentsSchwenk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

A multitude of prestigious family names, such as the surname Schwenk, were formed in the lands which became the modern German state of Prussia, known for its beauty, industry and military power. However, in the medieval era, Prussia was fragmented and inhabited by numerous barbarian tribes, who fought amongst themselves for control of the land. The borders of the barbarian kingdoms, which were established after the fall of the Roman Empire, changed repeatedly. The region that came to be known as Prussia was roughly divided between the territories of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia and East Prussia The Schwenk family emerged in Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany. By the 19th century, Brandenburg-Prussia had incorporated East Prussia, West Prussia and many other German territories. Moreover, in the late 19th century, it led the German states in the unification of Germany.

Early Origins of the Schwenk family

The surname Schwenk was first found in Mecklenburg, in the western Baltic region, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times, as early as 1202, with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. Old Mecklenburg chronicles mention Carston von Schwan in 1202 and Heinrich von Schwan, court tutor (Hofmeister) to the Duke of Mecklenburg, in 1248. In 1413 the Knight, Carl von Schwan, accompanied the Bishop Sigismund to Camin to the historical Council of Costnitz. The name would later be associated with a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches in the eastern provinces of Pomerania and Meissen. They became noted for their involvement in social, economic and political affairs, giving the name Schwan to a city near the port of Rostock.

Early History of the Schwenk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schwenk research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1610, 1679, 1729, 1760, 1810 and 1882 are included under the topic Early Schwenk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schwenk Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Schwenk include Schwan, Schwann, Schwahn and others.

Early Notables of the Schwenk family

Notable figures of the time with the name Schwenk were

  • Michael Schwenke (1563-1610), was a German sculptor from Pirna, Saxony...

Schwenk Ranking

In the United States, the name Schwenk is the 12,525th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Schwenk migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Schwenks to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Schwenk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Esther Schwenk, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 [2]
  • Lorentz Schwenk, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 [2]
  • Martin Schwenk, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 [2]
Schwenk Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Philipp Karl Schwenk, who arrived in North America in 1842 [2]
  • Andreas Schwenk, who arrived in Texas in 1846 [2]
  • Philipp Jakob Schwenk, who landed in North America in 1854 [2]
  • Nicolas Schwenk, aged 37, who landed in New York in 1854 [2]
  • Joh Schwenk, who arrived in America in 1854 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Schwenk (post 1700) +

  • Bud Schwenk (1917-1980), American professional football quarterback and punter
  • Thomas L. Schwenk, American professor of Family Medicine and chair of the department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School
  • Zane Schwenk (b. 1975), American professional wakeboarder
  • Theodor Schwenk (1910-1986), American anthroposophist, engineer and author of Sensitive Chaos
  • William "Tripp" Douglas Schwenk (b. 1971), American Olympic eight-time gold medalist swimmer
  • M. J. Schwenk, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1916 [3]
  • Edwin M. Schwenk Jr., American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1972 [3]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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