Swartland, noun

/ˈswartlant/
Forms:
Formerly also Zwartland.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans, earlier South African Dutch Zwartland, from Dutch zwart black + land country; see quotations 1934 and 1986.
The wheat-growing area round Malmesbury, Western Cape. Also attributive. passing into adjective, of or pertaining to the Malmesbury region.
Note:
‘Swartland’ was the official name of this region from the early 18th century until 1829.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 232An umbelliferous plant, probably a Seseli, was called by the Hottentots, Anýs-wortel (Anise-root) the root of which was said to be eatable; but it is entirely different from the Anys-wortel of Zwartland.
1931 Farming in S. Afr. 221 (Swart)The Swartland farmers keep on an average 55,84 per cent of their cultivated land as fallow and old lands.
1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 171Swartland, The Malmesbury district was originally so called on account of the black soil found there.
1936 E. Rosenthal Old-Time Survivals 23The district of Malmesbury, near the Mother City, is to this day known as ‘Zwartland’ to crowds of South Africans, who prefer a name that has been superseded in the official gazetteers for more than a century.
1949 L.G. Green In Land of Afternoon 131It was early in the eighteenth century that the Swartland grain farmers started breeding mules.
1972 Cape Times 19 Apr. 2Because of better feed, better fertilizers, and better calculation, the grainlands of the Swartland are producing more organic matter than can be incorporated into the soil between sowing seasons.
1977 Sunday Times 14 Aug. (Mag. Sect.) 3Showing beneath the gentle, courteous manner is the rigid disciplinarian, the stickler for detail that brought the boy from the Swartland, born out of sight of the sea, to his present position.
1978 Sunday Times 19 Feb. 8She laughs and says in the rich Swartland accent she makes so much her own: ‘And then I enjoy living here by the sea so much that I don’t really want to go anywhere else!’
1982 Grocott’s Mail 27 Aug. 13Despite a mildew outbreak in this year’s wheat crop in the Swartland being relatively heavy in comparison to past years, farmers need not worry.
1985 J. Cloete in S.-Easter Oct.–Nov. 30A gastronomic introduction to Swartland boerekos — offal, milktart and sosaties.
1986 Style July 94It is called the Swartland because of the charcoal-coloured bush, the kanna bush, that used to grow abundantly in these parts.
1992 C. Curzon in Motorist Aug. 6The first part of the route from Cape Town takes you through the bread basket of South Africa. The Swartland (black land), as it is known, turns to a golden sea of wheat during the spring.
The wheat-growing area round Malmesbury, Western Cape. Also attributive. passing into adjective, of or pertaining to the Malmesbury region.
Derivatives:
Hence Swartlander  noun, an inhabitant of the Swartland.
1972 Cape Times 19 Apr. 2To prevent the building from deteriorating, Dr. Leon Goldman, of Cape Town (an old Swartlander)..has purchased the building and has given it to the Malmesbury Municipality.
1985 J. Cloete in S.-Easter Oct.–Nov. 29As the Swartlanders used to say, the children ‘ate letters,’ and the more letters they ate, the more learned they became.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18221992

Derivatives

Swartlander

Browse Related Words

By Category

Place and Region Names

By Origin

Afrikaans
Dutch
swarthaak, nounn.swart varkie, noun phrasen. phr.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English