Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Suuine 1086 DB

• Suine 1086 1141–53 YCh1360

• Suina 1155–70 ib

• Swina, Swyna c.1150 Dugd t.Hy2 YD 1325 Hom

• Swine, Swyne t.Hy2 AddCh 1188–91 Bridl late12th Meaux 1828 Langd

• Swine in Holdernesse, Swine in Holdernes 1286 YI 1349 FF 1429 Test

• Svine 1199 Cur 1240 FF

• Svyn 1287 Ebor

• Swyn 13th Percy 1285 KI 1396 Test

• Swyn in Heudernesse 1286 Misc

• Swynhumbre 1301 Pat

Etymology

An OE  word *swin 'creek, channel' has been established for this name, on the analogy of continental place-names and Dutch  zwin 'channel.' The word enters into Swinefleet (WRY) and some other English names dealt with by Ekwall, Studies 88 ff., and a possible Scandinavian equivalent may enter into Swedish Swinngarn , etc. (Wadstein, Fornvännen 1930, 193 ff., Göteborgs Högskol. Årskrift xxxvi, 10 ff.). This word is related to OHG  swīnan 'to decrease, dry up' and exhibits a sense-development not unlike that suggested for Storkhill infra 200, but whereas stork implies 'drying up, leading to an increase of land,' swin suggests 'diminution of water' and refers to a channel, perhaps one which tends to dry up. Swine Church Drain now runs by the village.Swynhumbre suggests that the place was once connected to the Humber by a navigable channel.