Schwan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

A multitude of prestigious family names, such as the surname Schwan, 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 Schwan 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 Schwan family

The surname Schwan 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 Schwan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schwan 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 Schwan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schwan Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Schwan include Schwan, Schwann, Schwahn and others.

Early Notables of the Schwan family

Notable figures of the time with the name Schwan were

Theodor Schwann (1810-1882), who was one of the most important biologists of the 19th century, mainly because of his development of the cell theory of life...
Friedrich Schwan (1729-1760) was the famous leader of a band of robbers around the Stuttgart area on whom Schiller based a character in one of his stories...

Schwan Ranking

In the United States, the name Schwan is the 14,767^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Schwan migration to the United States +

Much of German history has been shaped by the state of Prussia. It was an enduring military power until after the Second World War. At that time, the state was abolished altogether and its land divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. While some Prussians were content to remain in those countries, others moved away, many of them migrating to North America. They entered the United States mostly through Philadelphia, moving on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others went to Canada, settling on the prairies and in the province of Ontario. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Schwan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Schwan, who immigrated to America in 1709
Johan Schwan, who landed in New York in 1709 2
Apollonia Schwan, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 2
Johann Schwan, who arrived in America in 1783 2
Joh Heinr Schwan, who landed in America in 1783 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Schwan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George, Schwan Jr., who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 2
R Schwan, who landed in Mississippi in 1873 2
Nicolas Schwan, aged 28, who landed in America in 1892 2
Peter Schwan, aged 34, who arrived in New York, NY in 1893 2
Catharina Schwan, aged 7, who arrived in New York, NY in 1893 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Schwan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Schwan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Johann Schwan, age 36, and Johann Heinrich Schwan, age 24, who both settled in Canada in 1783

Contemporary Notables of the name Schwan (post 1700) +

Joseph A. Schwan, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 1st District, 1988 3

Citations +

"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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html