Swinton is a surname in both Scotland and England (see Clan Swinton). Notable people with this surname include the following:

• A. A. Campbell-Swinton (1863-1930), Electrical Engineer.
• Archibald Campbell Swinton (1812-1890), Scottish author, politician and professor of civil law at Edinburgh.
• Archibald Swinton (1731-1804), Scottish Captain of the East India Company, head of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II's mission to George III of Britain in 1766.
• Ernest Dunlop Swinton (1868–1951), British Army officer and writer.
• Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk (14th century), English soldier of Scottish origin, retainer of John of Gaunt (erroneously called Thomas in one major source).
• James Rannie Swinton (1816-1888) Scottish portrait artist.
• John Swinton (1703–1777), British writer, academic, FRS, Church of England clergyman and orientalist.
• John Swinton (journalist) (1830–1901), American editorial writer at The New York Times and The New York Sun.
• John Swinton of Kimmerghame (1925–2018), general, former Major General of the British Army and former Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire.
• Samuel Swinton (ca 1729–1799), Scottish captain of the Royal Navy. The character The Scarlet Pimpernel was based on his life.
• Tilda Swinton (born 1960), English actress.
• William Elgin Swinton (1900–1994), Scottish-Canadian paleontologist, FRSC.