| Swannanoa Tunnel | on the Southern Railway, SE Buncombe County near Ridgecrest. Cut in 1879 at a cost of $600,000 and 120 lives, the tunnel marked the completion of a section of the railroad. An early use of nitroglycerine in engineering occurred there. |
| Swanner | community in NW Alexander County. |
| Swannsborough | See Swansboro. |
| Swansboro | town in SE Onslow County on White Oak River. Earlier names had been Bogue, Weeks Point, The Wharf, and New Town. Est. as Swannsborough in 1783; named for Samuel Swann (1704-72), who represented the county in the Assembly, 1739-62. Inc. in 1877 as Swansboro. |
| Swansboro Township | SE Onslow County. |
| Swansee Gap | W Cherokee County between an arm of Hiwassee River and Sular Creek. |
| Swash, The | a narrow channel between Horse Island and Core Banks, NE Carteret County. |
| Swayney | community in NE Swain County at the junction of Straight Fork with Raven Fork in Qualla Boundary. |
| Swearing Creek | rises in N Davidson County and flows SW into Yadkin River. Named for Swearingen family. Appears on the Collet map, 1770, as Swaring Creek. |
| Sweet Branch | rises in NW Swain County and flows S into Lake Cheoah. |