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| Origins Available: |
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The origins of the Swetland name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Swetland was originally derived from a family having lived in the area that was referred to as Sweetland found in the county of Devon. The surname Swetland is a habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.
The surname Swetland was first found in Devon where from ancient times they held Sweetland's Farm, a name which would later become a surname and a place name in Devon. 1
Another source presumes that the name could have been from Swithland, a parish, in the union of Barrow-upon-Soar, hundred of West Goscote,in Leicestershire. 2
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swetland research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Swetland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Swetland include Sweetland, Swithland and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Swetland Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: