Swanston
I am interested in the surname Swanston. I have mainly researched the name in Scotland so if i can be of help please contact me by PM (private message).
Always interested to here about Swanstons from anywhere and welcome any information on them. Would be interested to see when they started to appear in different places whatever the variation.
Variations
Swanston , Swanstone , Swanton , Swan ,
Swanstoun , Swanstoune , Swanstown ,
Swainston , Swainstone , Swainsten , Swainsteon , Swainstowe ,
Swaneston , Swaineston , Swaniston , Swain ,
Swaynston , Swaynystoun , Swayneston , Swainsten ,
Swenston , Swenstoun , Swenstoune , Suentoun ,
Swanstom , Swannston , Swenstonn , Sweinston ,
Swinston , Swinton , Swinstone , Swintone , Swinsone ,
Swanson , Swansone , Swainson , Swynson , Swanseot ,
Svenson , Svendson , Svensson , Svendsen , Sweynson ,
Schwenn , Schwennen , Schwennesen , Svenningsen ,
Shenton , Swenton
Origin
There seem to be differing theories on where the name came from and coupled with the many spelling variations that seem to go back further than written records - there may indeed be multiple origins.
The earliest instances appear to occur in Scotland, England, and Scandinavia.
In Scotland early Swanstouns and Swanstons seem to have had two big presences one in the Scottish Borders and one in Edinburgh and the lothians. Swansons however were mainly from the Highlands and Islands and understood to be a sept of the Gunn clan.
Locations
Swanton Abbott, Swanton Morley and Swanton Novers in Norfolk, England.
( recorded Swaneton 1044 , Suanetuna Domesday Book 1086 , Suaneton Wills Records of Norfolk 1047)
Swanton in Kent, England ( Swanatun 1321 Feet of Fines for Kent).
Swanston village near Edinburgh, Scotland ( recorded 1214 derived from a farmer called Sveinn ? ).
Swanston Road in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Swanston Street in Glasgow, Scotland.
Swanston Street 1837 in Melbourne, Australia ( named after Englishman Captain Charles Swanston 1789-1850 ) .
Swinewood medieval village ( recorded early 12th century charters , also a lands survey of Coldingham Priory, Berwickshire circa 1300 )
Swanson settlement in Ontario, Canada.
Naming
Swine's Town , The place where they kept pigs.
In olde english 'swana' - swine and 'tun' - enclosure / settlement.
So you see how John from the town of the swine could become John Swinestoun
Swan's Town - yep that's much prettier
If you can have a town of the swine then why not a town of the swans? They did have cygnus back then, so if you want to go with the Swans rather than pigs it's cool with me !
The town that Sveinn built.
Sveinn's town
The son that Sven made.
Sven's son the son of Sven
The Danish and Norwegian servant.
Swenson was an occupational name for servant / attendant , derived from an Old Norman word Sveinn
Links
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/edinburgh/swanston/index.html http://www.swintonfamilysociety.org/Let me know of any links you feel would be of any use.
