| ![Show Contents]() Swethan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of SwethanWhat does the name Swethan mean? The Swethan surname came to Ireland from Britain with the Anglo-Norman (Strongbow) invasion of the 12th century. The surname Swethan is derived from the Old English word "swete," which meant "sweet," "pleasant," or "agreeable;" along with the suffix -man. As such, it was a nickname surname, created for a popular person. Most of the native Irish surnames were patronymics created from the Gaelic names of an ancestor, and some of the Anglo-Norman naming practices of these settlers were seen as rather unusual. The Gaelic form of the surname Swethan is Suatman. Early Origins of the Swethan familyThe surname Swethan was first found in County Killkenny, where they settled about the year 1177 where they were granted lands originally belonging to the native Irish for their contribution to the defeat of the Irish by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke. One of the first records of the family was Milo Sweetman (died 1380), Archbishop of Armagh, "a native of Ireland, came of an Anglo-Irish family. A Maurice Sweetman was Archdeacon of Armagh in 1365. Milo was appointed treasurer of the cathedral of Ossory or Kilkenny before 1360, in which year the chapter elected him bishop of that diocese. " 1 While the name is now generally regarded as Irish, not all of the family emigrated to Ireland with Strongbow. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Swetman (without surname), Oxfordshire; Swetman filius Edith, Oxfordshire; Swetman de Helignam, Norfolk; Sweteman Textor, Buckinghamshire; and Adam Swetman, Oxfordshire, 1273. 2 Another source notes that the parish of Swettenham is in the union of Congleton, hundred of Northwich, Cheshire. 3 This parish derives its name from "the servant of Swet (sweet); one who came from Swettenham (Sweta's homestead.)" 4 Early History of the Swethan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swethan research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1360, 1361, 1380, 1584 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Swethan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Swethan Spelling VariationsIt was found during an investigation of the origins of the name Swethan that church officials and medieval scribes often spelled the name as it sounded. This practice lead to a single person's being documented under many spelling variations. The name Swethan has existed in the various shapes: Suatman, Sweetman, Swetman and others. Early Notables of the Swethan familyMore information is included under the topic Early Swethan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Swethan familyIreland's Great Potato Famine left the country's inhabitants in extreme poverty and starvation. Many families left their homeland for North America for the promise of work, freedom and land ownership. Although the Irish were not free of economic and racial discrimination in North America, they did contribute greatly to the rapid development of bridges, canals, roads, and railways. Eventually, they would be accepted in other areas such as commerce, education, and the arts. An examination of immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Swethan: Margeret Sweetman settled in Virginia in 1656; Ann Sweetman settled in Annapolis, Maryland in 1722; M.C. Sweetman settled in Charleston South Carolina in 1794.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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