Swain | Swaine | Swayne

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Swain Surname Origin

Swain Lineage
James Swayne 1420-TBD, father of  William Swayne 1444-1500, father of William Arthur Swaine 1461-1514, father of Robert Swayne 1480-1557, father of William Swayne 1530-1610, father of William Swayne 1557-1630, father of Richard Swain 1595-1682, father of John Swain Sr 1633-1717, father of John Swain Jr 1664-1738, father of John Swain 1690-1750, father of Francis Swain 1716-1783, father of Deborah Swain 1739-1771.

John Swain Jr 1664-1738 is also the father of William Swain Sr 1688-1770, father of Hephzibah Swain 1727-1785.

William Swain Sr 1688-1770 is the brother of John Swain 1690-1750, and the uncle of Francis Swain 1716-1783 making them first cousins 1x removed because John Swain Sr 1633-1717 is the great-grandfather of Francis Swain and the grandfather of William Swain. They share the same paternal ancestors of John Swain Sr 1633-1717.

Deborah Swain > Barzillai Worth > Mary Worth > David Day > Phedora Alice Day > Lenore Inez Steger > Barbara Lou Tridle

Swain Migration 
Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England > Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England > Horsell, Woking Borough, Surrey, England > Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts 

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Deborah Swain, Bill's 5th Great-Grandmother
30 January 1739 - 16 July 1771
b. Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts
d. Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave (no record)

Parents:
Francis Swain 1716-1783
Mary Paddack 1718-1775

Maternal Lineage:
Sarah Hopcott, mother of Mary Macy, mother of Ann Bunker, mother of Mary Paddock, mother of Deborah Swain

Spouse:   Thomas Worth 1737-1823
Married:   3 Mar 1757
Children:  3

1. David Worth 1765-1783
2. Lydia Worth 1765-1841
3. Barzillai Worth 1767-1832

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Hephzibah Swain, Bill's 5th Great-Grandmother

18 December 1727 - 28 may 1785
b. Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts
d. Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave (no record)

Parents:

William Swain Sr 1688-1770

Jemima Coffin 1695-1766

Maternal Lineage:
Mary Starbuck, mother of Elizabeth Starbuck, mother of Jemima Coffin, Hephziba Swain

Spouse:   Benjamin Pinkham 1724-1768

[3rd Cousins, both sharing 2nd Great Grandparents Tristram Coffin (1609-1681) and Dionis Stevens (1610-1684)]

Married:   3 Nov 1744

Children:  10

1. Hezekiah Pinkham 1746-1770
2. Charles Pinkham 1748-1801
3. Benjamin Pinkham 1751-1780
4. Abishai Pinkham 1751-1839
5. Hepsabeth Pinkham 1756-1785
6. Abigail Pinkham 1758-1814
7. Obed Pinkham 1760-1818
8. Abial Pinkham 1762-1837
9. Shubael Pinkham 1764-1811
10. Mary Pinkham 1768-1830

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Francis Swain, Bill's 6th Great-Grandmother

1 Oct 1716 - 19 Aug 1783 
b. Nantucket Island, Nantucket, Massachusetts

d. Nantucket Island, Nantucket, Massachusetts

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave (no record)

Parents:

John Swain 1690-1749

Mary Swett 1689-1764

Maternal Lineage:
Mary Swett 1689-1764, mother of Francis Swain

Spouse:   Mary Paddack 1718-1775

Married:   21 nov 1736

Children:  8

1. Deborah Swain 1739-1771
2. Ruth Swain 1741-1829
3. Francis Swain 1746-1814
4. Barnabas Swain 1749-1837
5. Barzillai Swain 1752-1777
6. Shubael Swain 1755-1781
7. Mary Swain 1757-1815
8. Set Swain 1759-1760

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William Swain Sr, Bill's 6th Great-Grandfather

2 October 1688 - 1 March 1770 
b. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts
d. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Founders Burial Ground
Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:

John Swain Jr 1664-1738

Experience Folger 1663-1739

Maternal Lineage:
Mary Morrill, mother of Experience Folger, mother of William Swain Sr

Spouse:   Jemima Coffin 1695-1766

Married:   29 Mar 1727

Children:  3

1. Hephzibah Swain 1727-1785
2. John Sain 1729-1772
3. William Swain Jr 1729-1773
4. John Swain 1731-1772

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John Swain, Bill's 7th Great-Grandfather

1690-1750
b. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts
d. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave (no record)

Parents:

John Swain Jr 1664-1738

Experience Folger 1663-1739

Maternal Lineage:
Mary Morrill, mother of Experience Folger, mother of John Swain

Spouse:   Mary Swett 1689-1764

Married:   6 Jan 1711

Children:  10

1. Anna Swain 1711-1801
2. Elijah Swain 1712-1789
3. Christian Swain 1712-1790
4. Hannah Swain 1713-17 62
5. Francis Swain 1716-1783
6. Tristram Swain 1720-1796
7. Ruth Swain 1720-1738
8. Seth Swain 1729-1757
9. Eunice Swain 1731-1816
10. Jemima Swain 1733-1822

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John Swain Jr, Bill's 7th & 8th Great-Grandfather

(7th as father of William Swain 1688-1770 and 8th as father of John 1690-1750) 

 

1 September 1664 - 1738
b. Dukes County, Massachusetts
d. Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Founders Burial Ground
Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:

John Swain Sr 1633-1717
Mary Weare 1633-1714

Maternal Lineage:

Mary Weare 1633-1714

Spouse: Experience Folger 1663-1739
Married: 1687
Children:

1. William Swain Sr 1688-1770
2. John Swain 1690-1750
3. Stephen Swain 1703-1785

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John Swain Sr, Bill's 8th & 9th Great-Grandfather

6 October 1633 - 9 February 1717

b. Easthampstead, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England
d. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Founders Burial Ground
Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:
Richard Swain 1595-1683
Bassell Saunders 1597-1657

Maternal Lineage:

Bassell Saunders 1597-1657

Spouse: Mary Weare 1633-1714
Married: 1660
Children: 9

1. Mary Swain 1661-1714
2. John Swain Jr 1664-1738
3. Stephen Swain 1666-1713
4. Sarah Swain 1670-1728
5. Joseph Swain 1673-1766
6. Elizabeth Swain 1676-1760
7. Benjamin Swain 1679-1757
8. Hannah Swain 1681-1765
9. Patience Swain 1685-1747

Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

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Richard Swain, Bill's 9th & 10th Great-Grandfather

15 September 1595 - 14 April 1682

b. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England
d. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts, United States of America

Founders Burial Ground
Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Spouse 1: Bassell Saunders 1597-1657
Married: 1617

Children: 7

1. William Swain 1618-1657
2. Francis Swain 1621-1665
3. Nicholas Swain 1623-1650
4. Grace Swain 1627-1693
5. Richard Swain 1630-1633
6. John Swain Sr Swain 1633-1717
7. Elizabeth Swain 1638-1712

Spouse 2: Jane Elizabeth Godfrey 1624-1662

Jane Elizabeth Godfrey (8th Great-Grandmother and mother of 7th Great-Grandmother Martha Swain) married Richard Swain (9th & 10th Great-Grandfather) after the death of George Bunker (8th & 9th Great-Grandfather).  

Married: 15 September 1658

Children: 1

1. Richard Swain Jr 1660-1707

Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

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Sarah Swayne, Bill's 9th & 10th Great-Grandmother

1606-1682
b. England
d. Nantucket Island, Nantucket, Massachusetts

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents & Maternal Lineage TBD

Spouse: Nathaniel Weare 1602-680
Married: 1629
Children: 

1. Hester Weare 1629-1718
2. Nathaniel Weare 1631-1718
3. Mary Weare 1633-1714

Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

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William Swayne, Bill's 10th & 11th Great-Grandfather

Nickname: The Younger
1567-1630
b. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England
d. Horsell, Woking Borough, Surrey, England

All Saints Churchyard
Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents: 
William Swayne 1530-1610
Joan Dee 1530-1601

Maternal Lineage:
Sylvia Thorne 1501-1570, mother of Joan Dee 1530-1601, mother of William Swayne

Spouse: TBD
Married: TBD
Children: 

1. William Swayne 1592-TBD
2. Richard Swayne 1594-TBD
3. Richard Swayne 1595-1682
4. Elizabeth Swayne 1597-TBD
5. Edward Swayne 1600-TBD
6. Francis Swayne 1603-TBD
7. Margaret Swayne 1606-TBD
8. Grace TBD

Children's names are listed in his Find a Grave memorial bio.

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William Swayne, Bill's 11th & 12th Great-Grandfather

Nickname: The Elder

1530-1610
b. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England
d. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

All Saints Churchyard
Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

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Robert Swayne, Bill's 12th & 13th Great-Grandfather

1480-1557
b. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England
d. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

All Saints Churchyard
Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

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William Arthur Swaine, Bill's 13th & 14th Great-Grandfather

1461-1514
b. Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England
d. Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

All Saints Churchyard
Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

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William Swayne, Bill's 14th & 15th Great-Grandfather

1444-1500
b. Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England
d. Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England

St. Thomas and St. Edmund Cemetery
Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

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James Swayne, Bill's 15th & 16th Great-Grandfather

1420-TBD
b. TBD
d. Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England

St. Thomas and St. Edmund Cemetery
Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

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Bibliography 

Ancestry ®. "Public Member Trees Database.” © 1997-2025 Ancestry®.  Ancestry.  ancestry.com/ Lawson-Robertson Family Tree. www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/10075800/family  User profile for William Harris Lawson, Jr., user Livingweb. Accessed 1 December 2025.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123011980/mary-swain: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for Mary Weare Swain (1633–1714), Find a Grave Memorial ID 123011980, citing Founders Burial Ground, Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Rick Valentine (contributor 47475621).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124511525/william-swain: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for William Swain Sr. (2 Oct 1688–1 Mar 1770), Find a Grave Memorial ID 124511525, citing Founders Burial Ground, Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Tena Kennedy Painter (contributor 47059355).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10904467/john-swain: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for John Swain Jr. (1 Sep 1664–1738), Find a Grave Memorial ID 10904467, citing Founders Burial Ground, Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Sheila Parcell (contributor 47098668).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123008839/john-swain: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for John Swain Sr. (6 Oct 1633–9 Feb 1717), Find a Grave Memorial ID 123008839, citing Founders Burial Ground, Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Rick Valentine (contributor 47475621).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/168646150/sarah-weare: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for Sarah Weare (1606–1682), Find a Grave Memorial ID 168646150; Maintained by Beensker (contributor 47625231).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222511164/william-swayne: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for William “the Younger” Swayne (Aug 1567–1630), Find a Grave Memorial ID 222511164, citing All Saints Churchyard, Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England; Maintained by Kenwg (contributor 47774038).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188963516/william-swayne: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for William “The Elder” Swayne (1530–1610), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188963516, citing All Saints Churchyard, Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England; Maintained by John Connie Wilhite, Jr (contributor 48140210).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188972544/robert-swayne: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for Robert Swayne (1480–15 Mar 1557), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188972544, citing All Saints Churchyard, Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England; Maintained by John Connie Wilhite, Jr (contributor 48140210).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188988143/william_arthur-swaine: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for William Arthur Swaine (1461–1514), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188988143, citing All Saints Churchyard, Binfield, Bracknell Forest Borough, Berkshire, England; Maintained by John Connie Wilhite, Jr (contributor 48140210).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188973632/william-swayne: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for William Swayne (1444–1500), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188973632, citing St. Thomas and St. Edmund Cemetery, Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England; Maintained by John Connie Wilhite, Jr (contributor 48140210).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188988997/james-swayne: accessed December 1, 2025), memorial page for James Swayne (1420–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188988997, citing St. Thomas and St. Edmund Cemetery, Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England; Maintained by John Connie Wilhite, Jr (contributor 48140210).

Geneanet. "Public Member Database." © 1996. Geneanet. en.geneanet.org Accessed 1 December 2025.

Google. "AI Overview." Search term, "Swain Surname Origin." Google. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Swain+Surname+Origin  Accessed 1 December 2025.

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Miscellanea

Talking Kin™: Swain

https://www.talkingkin.com/2025/09/swain.html
© 2025 William H Lawson Jr

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