Swanson
Originally “son of Swan” or, more often, a later spelling of Swainson, meaning “son of Swain.”
The #424 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,015 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname was used in two closely related ways. In some cases it is straightforwardly patronymic, meaning “son of Swan,” where Swan was a personal name or byname. More often, historical surname writers treated Swanson as a spelling variant of Swainson, from the medieval personal name Swain, meaning a young man, attendant, or servant; that name came into English from Old Norse.
History
Medieval records show both Swan and Swanson very early in England, and the name later appears widely in northern English and Scottish records. 19th-century surname scholars often grouped Swanson with Swainson, and that remains the safest broad explanation for many bearers. The form also became well established in Scotland and later spread widely through Britain and North America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some old dictionaries list Swanson both as “son of Swan” and as a spelling of Swainson, which shows how easily medieval name forms shifted over time.
From the historical record
“hollow" [O.E. cumb (f. Celtic), a hollow] SWANSON I Swan's Son : v. Swan. 2 = Swainson, q.v. SWANSTON (Eng.) i Dweller at Swan's Farmstead [v. Swan, and + M.E. -ton, to», O.E. 7(2n, farm, etc.] 2 = Swainston, q.v. There is a Swanston in c6. Edinburgh;”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Swanson
- Gloria Swanson (1899–1983)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.