Swafford
An English surname that likely began as a place-name or local-name surname, though its exact origin is uncertain.
The #3,777 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 32,954 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally treated as English, but its exact derivation is not firmly established. The ending -ford strongly suggests a connection with a ford, meaning a river crossing, while the first element may come from an older place-name or landscape term that is no longer clear. In practice, Swafford is best understood as a surname formed from a locality or a spot near a ford named something like 'Swaff-'.
History
The name appears in English records and later turns up in the United States, where it is now most common. Because the earliest citation provided is only an incidental marriage record, it does not by itself settle the surname’s original meaning. The surname is now established in American usage, but its deeper English root remains somewhat obscure.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname’s final element is the old English word ford, a very common feature in English place-names and surnames alike.
From the historical record
“1765. Married— Caleb Coomber and Iiabefia Swafford : St. Gea Han. Sq. ilisa COFBLAND 179a. Married— John Ball and Mary”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)