Swearingen
A surname most likely from a place-name or a Dutch/Germanic family name that was later Anglicized in North America.
The #4,506 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 39,221 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Swearingen is usually treated as an Anglicized surname of Continental European origin, probably Dutch or Low German in form. It may be connected with a place-name or with an older family name built from a personal name plus a local or possessive ending, but the exact source is not certain from general evidence alone. The ending -ingen is common in Germanic surnames and place-names, often indicating association with a family, clan, or settlement.
History
The name is found especially in the United States, where it appears in forms such as Swearingen and sometimes Swearinger. Like many immigrant surnames, its spelling was likely stabilized only after arrival in English-speaking records. Because the early documentary trail is limited and spellings vary, the name’s precise European point of origin remains debated.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The uncommon -ingen ending is a useful clue that the name may ultimately be tied to a Germanic place or kin-group name rather than a straightforward English word.