Swain Family of Eastern North Carolina and Beyond

Swann/Swan : English Nickname for a person noted for purity of excellence (attributes of the swan, supposedly), from Old English swan . Some Swan surnames derived from the signs at the roadside inns during early times, when people didn't read signs as much as they looked at the pictures – and innkeepers sometimes took their sign's picture as a surname. (Most were animals, birds or fish.) Occasionally, Swan is derived as an Occupational name for the servant or retainer as a variant of Swain . Cognates include Schwan (German), De Swaen (Flemish), De Swaan , Van den Swaan, Van den Zwaan (Dutch), Svane (Norwegian), and Svahn, Swahn (Swedish).

If you have comments or suggestions, please email me.

More Information from HOUSE OF NAMES

"Vikings settlers in ancient Scotland were the first people to use the name Swain. It comes from the Old English personal name Swein, which was originally derived from the Old Norse name Sveinn. This was one of the most common Scandinavian names in medieval Britain.

Spelling variations include: Swan, Swann, Swanner, Swani, Swayne, Swein, Swing, Sweyne and many more."

__________________________

Swain

Northern English: occupational name for a servant or attendant, from the Middle English word swein ‘servant’ or Old Norse sveinn ‘boy’, ‘servant’. In Old Norse this word is also found as a personal name in the form Sveinn; so in some cases the origin may be patronymic.
Scottish and Irish: reduced form of McSwain.