Show ContentsSchwabe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Schwabe

What does the name Schwabe mean?

The ancient roots of the Schwabe family are found in the German state of Bavaria. Schwabe was a local name, for someone who lived in Swabia, a medieval dukedom that was in southwestern Germany. This is a regional name for a person who was form Swabia having derived from the Germanic word Schwaben, which means Swabian and is derived from the name of the Germanic tribe that inhabited this region. The Latin form of the tribal name is Suebi or Suevi.

Early Origins of the Schwabe family

The surname Schwabe was first found in Franconia and later Mecklenburg, where the name became prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates, some in foreign countries such as Austria. They were always elevating their social status by intermarriage and by their great contributions to society. The name Schwab has been traced to Mecklenburg as early as 1298, when Ulrich Schwab, the first Count of Nemerow, lived. Chronicles also mention Christian Schwabel in Franconia in 1414.

Early History of the Schwabe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schwabe research. Another 222 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1540, 1575, 1615, 1645, 1714, 1784, 1810 and 1840 are included under the topic Early Schwabe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schwabe Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Schwabe include Schwab, Schwabe, Schwabel, Schwebel, Swab and others.

Early Notables of the Schwabe family

Prominent among members of the name Schwabe in this period include

  • Johann Joachim Schwabe (1714-1784), who was philosopher and librarian in Leipzig...


Schwabe migration to the United States +

German settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Schwabe surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Schwabe Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Christoffer Schwabe, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 1
  • Ferdin Schwabe, aged 30, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 1
  • Agnes Schwabe, aged 23, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 1
  • Julius Schwabe, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1854 1

Schwabe migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Schwabe Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • August Schwabe, aged 29, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
  • Magdalena Schwabe, aged 25, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
  • Reinhold Schwabe, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902

Schwabe migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Schwabe Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • C. Schwabe, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Posthumous" in 1849 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Schwabe (post 1700) +

  • Max Schwabe (1905-1983), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Missouri 2nd District, 1943-49; Defeated, 1948, 1950; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1972 3
  • J. R. C. Schwabe, American Republican politician, Chair of Boone County Republican Party, 1943 3
  • George Blaine Schwabe (1886-1952), American Republican politician, Member of Oklahoma State House of Representatives, 1918-22; Speaker of the Oklahoma State House of Representatives, 1921-22 3
  • Carlos Schwabe (1877-1926), Swiss-German painter
  • Samuel Heinrich Schwabe (1789-1875), German astronomer
  • Rudolph Schwabe (b. 1885), distinguished English draughtsman and theatrical designer


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The POSTHUMOUS 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Posthumous.htm
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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