Jorgen Jensen Svane (later Anglicized to "Swaner") was born in Branderup, Haderslev County in the Jylland (Jutland)peninsula of Denmark. While there are several villages in Jutland with names similar to Branderup (which means "Bram's village"), he was born in Branderup in Haderslev County, and you can still see the church record of his birth (see below).

Records show the Svane family lived in the area from at least the mid-18th century and used the surname Svane. There is a conflicting but apocryphal story that Jorgen Jensen served in the military, and because there were so many Jensen surnames among the soldiers, he was encouraged to adopt an extra surname that would be unique to him. According to the story, he adopted the name "Svane" ("Swan"), because an old house in his family had been called "The Great White Swan." [SOURCE: Dean K. Swaner [grandson of Christian John Swaner], "Christian John Swaner, a Pioneer Builder," The Pioneer [periodical publication of Sons of Utah Pioneers], Vol. 23, No. 4 (July-August 1976): 16-17. ] If there is any truth to this story, perhaps the story concerned a more distant ancestor, because the records clearly show that Jorgen Jensen Svane acquired his name at birth from his father and his father's ancestors.

OBITUARY PUBLISHED IN THE DESERET NEWS Saturday, 29 April 1876, page 3:
"At Big Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, April 27, 1876, of old age and debility, JORGEN JENSEN SWANER, aged 68 years, 2 weeks and 3 days. Deceased was born at Brandrop, Denmark, April 9, 1808. Joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1854; left Denmark the same year with his wife and family; arrived in Salt Lake City September 7, 1855 and was a firm advocate of the principles of the gospel. He was the father of eleven children and had ten grand-children."

NOTE: He is interred in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. In the cemetery records (1848-1884, page 184), he is incorrectly indexed as Jorgen JENSON SWARNER. He was the father of Ephraim J. Swaner & others.

Birth Notice of Jorgen Jensen Svane (29 Apr 1807). The record says he was born on 29 April, not 9 April. Born in Branderup, Haderslev, Denmark (then a duchy of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein). Note: There is a discrepancy between this parish birth record, which lists his birth date as 29 April, and his confirmation record, obituary, and family memory of his birthday observances, which all list his birth date as 9 April 1807.
Source: FHL Microfilm No. 048,823. Danske Kirkebøker, Danske Folkekirke, Branderup sogn, Haderslev amt, Denmark (1807): page 326.
Entry (at bottom of page): Nat: Jørgen Jensen Svane søn af forpagter [alternatively, Inderste] Anders Svane og hustru Maren Lauridsdatter blev fød af 29 April [1807] og af 30 hjemmedøbt i Branderup 6s efterpaask af 10 mai blev hans daab i kirken publicat. fadder: Tosten Boisen, Laurids Svane, Nis Hansen, [Mrs. Pastor] Barforid, og Hannah Maria Rurup [alla af Branderup].

Translation: Born: Jørgen Jensen Svane, son of farm foreman [forpagter] [alternatively] renter/sharecropper [inderste] Anders Svane and his wife Maren Laurisdatter, was born 29 April [1807] and was home-christened [on 30 April] in Branderup [which was announced in church on the sixth Sunday after Easter, which was] May 10th. Witnesses: Tosten Boisen, Laurids Svane, Nis Hansen, [Mrs. Pastor] Barforid, and Hannah Maria Rurup, all of Branderup.