Swett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the Swett surname date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a person who was referred to as swete, which is an Old English word used to describe a sweet or gentle person. 1 Another source claims the name was "probably an Anglo-Saxon personal name, having reference to character." 2

Early Origins of the Swett family

The surname Swett was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where the name was found as both a forename and a surname: Swet le Bone, Norfolk; Adam Swet, Oxfordshire; and Roger Swet, Cambridgeshire. 3

In Somerset, Walter Swete was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 4 and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes Suete and Johannes Swete as holding lands there at that time. 3

Early History of the Swett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swett research. Another 265 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1583, 1660, 1672, 1685, 1700, 1708, 1712, 1752, 1770, 1774, 1777, 1781 and 1821 are included under the topic Early Swett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swett Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Swett has been spelled many different ways, including Sweit, Sweet, Swete, Sweete, Sweett and others.

Early Notables of the Swett family

More information is included under the topic Early Swett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swett Ranking

In the United States, the name Swett is the 7,118^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Swett family to Ireland

Some of the Swett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swett migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Swetts to arrive in North America:

Swett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Swett, who landed in Virginia in 1638 6
John Swett, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1642 6
Benjamin Swett, who landed in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1657 6
Joseph Swett, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1696 6

Swett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

C S Swett, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 6
I W Swett, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Swett (post 1700) +

Walter E. Swett, American politician, Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Lancaster, 1956; Elected () New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Lancaster 1956
Richard Nelson Swett (b. 1957), American Democratic Party politician, Architect; U.S. Representative from New Hampshire 2nd District, 1991-95; Defeated, 1994; Candidate for U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, 1996; U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, 1998-99
Leonard Swett, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1888
Katrina Lantos Swett, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for New Hampshire, 1992; Candidate for U.S. Representative from New Hampshire 2nd District, 2002
J. M. Swett, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Eastport, Maine, 1907, 1912
Harvey W. Swett, American politician, Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Sullivan, 1956
George L. Swett, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Portland, Maine, 1896-1900
Cleveland B. Swett, American politician, Delegate to Maine convention to ratify 21st amendment from Lincoln County, 1933
Charles R. Swett, American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for U.S. Senator from Washington, 1946
Leonard Swett (1825-1889), American civil and criminal lawyer, advisor to Abraham Lincoln
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)