Swanson is a surname. Notable people with this surname include the following:
A. L. Swanson, American football coach
Becca Swanson, American bodybuilder
Bill Swanson (baseball) (1888–1954), baseball player
Bob Swanson (1912–1940), Indianapolis 500 driver
Brian Swanson (born 1976), ice hockey player
Bryan Swanson (born 1980), British sports television reporter
Carl A. Swanson (1879-1949), Swedish-American food industry businessman and founder of Swanson
Charles Edward Swanson (1879–1970), American politician
Clarence Swanson (1898–1970), American football player
Claude A. Swanson (1862–1939), American lawyer and politician
Cub Swanson (born 1983), American mixed martial artist
Danny Swanson (born 1986), Scottish footballer
David Swanson, American journalist and Democratic activist
Don R. Swanson (1924–2012), American information scientist
Donald Swanson (1848–1924), London police officer, charged with investigating the Whitechapel murders
Duane Swanson (1913–2000), American basketball player
E. Burton Swanson (born ca 1940), American computer scientist
Eric Swanson, American attorney
Evar Swanson (1902–1973), American baseball and football player
Frank J. Swanson (1865-1941), American politician
G. A. Swanson (1939–2009), American organizational theorist
Gloria Swanson (1897–1983), American actress
Howard Swanson (1907–1978), American composer
Jackie Swanson (born 1963), American actress
Jandi Swanson, American child actress
Jean Swanson, Canadian anti-poverty activist
Jeffrey Swanson, American psychiatrist
Joe Swanson, Family Guy character
John Swanson (disambiguation), several people
John Swanson (Medal of Honor recipient), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
John A. Swanson, American engineer
John August Swanson (born 1938), American artist
Jon E. Swanson (1942–1971), US Army helicopter pilot and Medal of Honor recipient
Joshua Swanson (born 1978), American actor
Kristy Swanson (born 1969), American actress
Lori Swanson, attorney general of Minnesota
Marc Swanson, American artist
Paul Swanson, American bridge player
Richard A. Swanson (born 1942), American organizational theorist
Riley Swanson (born 1984), American football player
Robert Swanson (inventor) (1905–1994), Canadian inventor and poet
Robert A. Swanson (1947–1999), Genentech founder
Ron Swanson, Parks and Recreation character
Sandré Swanson (born 1948), California politician
Shana Swanson (born 1967), American attorney
Stan Swanson (born 1944), American baseball player
Stephan Swanson (born 1967), South African shark researcher
Steve Swanson, guitarist
Steven Swanson (born 1960), American astronaut
Timothy Swanson, British academic
Wendy Sue Swanson, Pediatrician
William Swanson (disambiguation), several people