Swetapple History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Swetapple

The distinguished surname Swetapple emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Swetapple family originally lived near a particularly prominent sweet apple tree. The surname Swetapple belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. However, the name Swetapple may in some cases be a nickname that was applied as a term of affection or was given to someone who was fond of eating apples.

Early Origins of the Swetapple family

Early History of the Swetapple family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swetapple research. Another 33 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1694 is included under the topic Early Swetapple History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swetapple Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Sweetaple, Sweetapple, Swetaple, Swetapple and others.

Early Notables of the Swetapple family

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

Migration of the Swetapple family

An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Swetapple or a variant listed above: George Sweetaple who settled in Virginia in 1651. In Newfoundland, William settled in Greenspond in 1815; Charles settled in Harbour Grace in 1819; John settled in Deer Island in 1830.