Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Swalwell
Variants: Swallowell, Swallwell
Category: 3 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way on a global basis.
Guild hosted website: swalwell.one-name.net
DNA website: www.familytreedna.com/public/Swalwell
Study Associates: Marilyn Standfast
Contact: Susan Swalwell
Welcome to the Swalwell One-Name Study. This study aims to help those researching their Swalwell family history and hopefully satisfy the curiosity of those simply interested in the origins and history of the Swalwell surname.
There are several strands of activity to the study:
The Swalwell surname appears in many different forms across the records. The following table summarises some of the variations we have encountered in the study:
If you have others to add then, please let us know.
The important thing is to distinguish between which of these forms are true variants, i.e. those forms that were used by the individual name bearers themselves, as against a deviant form, i.e. those that are the result of errors made by the scribes. At this stage, the study has registered three forms of the name as variants, i.e.:
Please let us know if you have evidence that any other forms should be registered as a true variant.
The Swalwell surname, or its variants, does not appear in many of the surname dictionaries. Where it is found, the Swalwell surname is defined as a locational surname and its origin is linked to Swalwell, near Gateshead in Durham. This is the only place in the modern gazetteers of England that is known as Swalwell.
There may be another source for the name, though. The Historical Gazetteer of England's Place Names describes Swalwell as an alternative historical name for Swallowhill, a hamlet in the parish of Darton in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This place is normally linked to the Swale surname. However, and to date, only two early references to Swalwell & its potential variants have been found in this area.
The study has been recording early references to the name. This supports the hypothesis regarding its origins as a locational surname. There appears to be a clear link between the earliest references to the surname and the place of Swalwell itself.
www.sole.org.uk: Lay Subsidy Roll: Benwell: Robert of Swalwell
Newcastle: Robert of Swalwell
Portland Welbeck (4th Deposit): Deeds and Estate Papers. Indenture, demise: "Juliana, widow of John, lord of Swalewelles ... a meadow called le Langedmedue in Swalewelles"
Durham University Library Special Collections Catalogue: "Elvet: William del Gyle sought satisfaction for a debt of £10 which Thomas of Swalwell ..."
Portland of Welback (4th Deposit): Deeds & Estate Papers: Deed Poll, receipt & quitclaim: "Thos de Swalwell son and heir of John de Swalwell"
Portland of Welback (4th Deposit): Deeds & Estate Papers: Deed Poll & quitclaim "Thos de Swalewell, as above, lord of Swalewelle"
Portland of Welback (4th Deposit): Deeds & Estate Papers: Deed Poll & quitclaim: "Thos son of late John de Swalwelles ...all right in le Langmedow in Swalwelles"
Deputy Keepers Records. Parliamentary Papers House of Commons & Command vol 33: "Custancia widow of William Swalwels: grant of custody of the lands etc. late of William de Swalwels in Swalwels"
The surname emanates from the North East of England, with concentrations being strongest in County Durham followed by Yorkshire and Northumberland. There have, however, been various migrations at different points in time both across the UK and worldwide. As a result, there are now established populations in:
A lot of data has been extracted from a wide selection of record sets, so if you are searching for someone with the Swalwell name, please get in touch with us as we may be able to help.
All Swalwell birth, marriage and death entries from the General Register Offices for England & Wales (since 1837) and all Swalwell references from the England and Wales census from 1841 to 1911 plus the 1939 Register have been extracted. All grants of probate since 1858 in England and Wales have also been recorded.
The one-name study also includes numerous entries from overseas Parish Registers (United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa) and pedigrees and data submitted by other Swalwell researchers.
Over the coming months, the intent is to load the record extracts to the data archive site here. The datasets currently available are as follows:
The status of the record sets that have been extracted and loaded to the website or added to the Guild Data Storage facility will be regularly updated. In the meantime, do not hesitate to get in touch with us directly & we will share whatever data we have with you.
We are using the accumulated data to construct family trees, so please let us know if you have information that could help us with this process. The trees so far constructed can be searched on the study website. The website will include full acknowledgement of any submissions made to the website.
Given that the name's origins are locational, it is likely that not all those holding the Swalwell name are related. This is where we believe a DNA study could be particularly helpful in understanding how many different origins of the family name there may be.
The initial trigger to start the DNA project was a desire to get my 93-year-old Father's Y-DNA analysed, as he was the last surviving male of my personal branch of the Swalwell line. The study is at very early stages and has too few participants to draw any conclusions to date. So we would welcome hearing from any male bearing the Swalwell name or one of its variants who would be willing to participate in this project.
Although the Y-DNA element of the project is the most significant in the study of the Swalwell surname, we have also undertaken autosomal tests as a means of cousin identification. Again we need to do more tests to give this project validity, so again we hope some of you may be willing to participate in the project. If you are, please do get in touch at susan.swalwell@one-name.org.
Personally, I am also investigating my mitochondrial DNA.