Swimming Merit Badge History

Earned through 20206,659,181

Best year1970120,093 earned

All-time popularity#2official, as of 2020#2by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1911. Peak year 1970 with 120,093. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

191110 earned#2 of 22

1912177 earned#3 of 51

1913441 earned#3 of 56

1914610 earned#4 of 58

1915993 earned#1 of 58

19161,343 earned#1 of 56

19171,898 earned#1 of 58

19182,099 earned#3 of 58

19194,338 earned#5 of 59

19204,238 earned#4 of 59

19216,629 earned#4 of 61

19228,522 earned#4 of 61

19238,641 earned#4 of 63

19247,905 earned#4 of 64

192511,024 earned#4 of 64

192615,114 earned#5 of 65

192717,423 earned#5 of 68

192817,463 earned#7 of 88

192920,886 earned#6 of 89

193022,718 earned#5 of 92

193126,747 earned#4 of 96

193226,115 earned#5 of 98

193328,013 earned#5 of 101

193425,935 earned#4 of 101

193528,093 earned#6 of 101

193624,856 earned#4 of 101

193726,094 earned#3 of 102

193832,039 earned#4 of 105

193933,839 earned#5 of 106

194032,437 earned#6 of 106

194129,763 earned#6 of 106

194227,358 earned#7 of 110

194329,395 earned#6 of 112

194434,676 earned#6 of 111

194532,802 earned#6 of 111

194627,387 earned#6 of 111

194726,376 earned#6 of 111

194825,971 earned#4 of 111

194929,983 earned#4 of 111

195032,047 earned#7 of 111

195137,319 earned#4 of 111

195241,904 earned#3 of 120

195343,213 earned#4 of 105

195452,972 earned#4 of 103

195559,443 earned#4 of 100

195663,565 earned#4 of 100

195764,320 earned#4 of 100

195871,753 earned#4 of 101

195979,759 earned#3 of 101

196090,394 earned#3 of 100

196199,908 earned#2 of 101

1962101,415 earned#2 of 101

1963104,618 earned#2 of 102

1964107,390 earned#2 of 107

1965108,179 earned#2 of 109

1966111,256 earned#1 of 110

1967114,087 earned#1 of 112

1968115,509 earned#1 of 112

1969117,336 earned#1 of 113

1970120,093 earned#1 of 113

1971115,627 earned#1 of 113

1972109,667 earned#1 of 124

1973102,771 earned#1 of 122

1974113,391 earned#3 of 121

1975106,712 earned#3 of 128

197698,294 earned#3 of 130

197789,914 earned#2 of 130

197883,046 earned#2 of 131

197975,535 earned#2 of 132

198055,160 earned#2 of 132

198184,574 earned#2 of 134

1982No data available

1983No data available

1984No data available

1985No data available

1986No data available

1987No data available

1988No data available

1989No data available

1990No data available

1991No data available

1992No data available

199393,488 earned#2 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

199690,922 earned#2 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

2000102,378 earned#1 of 128

200170,626 earned#3 of 129

200293,673 earned#2 of 129

200386,405 earned#2 of 130

200483,502 earned#2 of 121

200575,796 earned#2 of 121

200676,692 earned#2 of 121

200774,108 earned#2 of 121

200875,568 earned#2 of 121

200976,807 earned#3 of 122

201078,825 earned#2 of 125

201180,938 earned#2 of 129

201280,376 earned#2 of 132

201372,946 earned#1 of 129

201472,503 earned#3 of 136

201571,821 earned#2 of 138

201667,446 earned#2 of 138

201762,057 earned#2 of 139

201862,796 earned#2 of 139

201959,074 earned#2 of 139

202021,220 earned#13 of 137

2021No data available#1 of 137

2022No data available#3 of 138

2023No data available#3 of 138

2024No data available#3 of 138

2025No data available#4 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#4 of 141" means the badge was number 4 of the 141 merit badges earned that year. National counts have not been published since 2020, but the rankings have. The grand total comes from official reports and includes the years without a known count. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

191110#2 of 22

1912177#3 of 51

1913441#3 of 56

1914610#4 of 58

1915993#1 of 58

19161,343#1 of 56

19171,898#1 of 58

19182,099#3 of 58

19194,338#5 of 59

19204,238#4 of 59

19216,629#4 of 61

19228,522#4 of 61

19238,641#4 of 63

19247,905#4 of 64

192511,024#4 of 64

192615,114#5 of 65

192717,423#5 of 68

192817,463#7 of 88

192920,886#6 of 89

193022,718#5 of 92

193126,747#4 of 96

193226,115#5 of 98

193328,013#5 of 101

193425,935#4 of 101

193528,093#6 of 101

193624,856#4 of 101

193726,094#3 of 102

193832,039#4 of 105

193933,839#5 of 106

194032,437#6 of 106

194129,763#6 of 106

194227,358#7 of 110

194329,395#6 of 112

194434,676#6 of 111

194532,802#6 of 111

194627,387#6 of 111

194726,376#6 of 111

194825,971#4 of 111

194929,983#4 of 111

195032,047#7 of 111

195137,319#4 of 111

195241,904#3 of 120

195343,213#4 of 105

195452,972#4 of 103

195559,443#4 of 100

195663,565#4 of 100

195764,320#4 of 100

195871,753#4 of 101

195979,759#3 of 101

196090,394#3 of 100

196199,908#2 of 101

1962101,415#2 of 101

1963104,618#2 of 102

1964107,390#2 of 107

1965108,179#2 of 109

1966111,256#1 of 110

1967114,087#1 of 112

1968115,509#1 of 112

1969117,336#1 of 113

1970120,093#1 of 113

1971115,627#1 of 113

1972109,667#1 of 124

1973102,771#1 of 122

1974113,391#3 of 121

1975106,712#3 of 128

197698,294#3 of 130

197789,914#2 of 130

197883,046#2 of 131

197975,535#2 of 132

198055,160#2 of 132

198184,574#2 of 134

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

199393,488#2 of 123

1994—

1995—

199690,922#2 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

2000102,378#1 of 128

200170,626#3 of 129

200293,673#2 of 129

200386,405#2 of 130

200483,502#2 of 121

200575,796#2 of 121

200676,692#2 of 121

200774,108#2 of 121

200875,568#2 of 121

200976,807#3 of 122

201078,825#2 of 125

201180,938#2 of 129

201280,376#2 of 132

201372,946#1 of 129

201472,503#3 of 136

201571,821#2 of 138

201667,446#2 of 138

201762,057#2 of 139

201862,796#2 of 139

201959,074#2 of 139

202021,220#13 of 137

2021—#1 of 137

2022—#3 of 138

2023—#3 of 138

2024—#3 of 138

2025—#4 of 141

Grand total through 2020:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Swimming: workbook data

Printings (111)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	UPC	SKU	SA #	HC	Notes
c	1919		1B-2									1A hb 20th edition reference
c	1920		1B-2									1A hb 20th edition reference
	1921	not made
	1922	not made
c	1923		2
x	1924		2			1924						20c Radio
c	1925		3A	back-3			3299					20c Radio and Boy Scout Diary 15c Ad inside back cover page
c	1925		3A	back-3			3299					20c Radio and Not Boy Scout Diary 15c Ad inside back cover page
x	1926		3A	back-3		1926	3299
c	1926		3A	back-3			3299					with pasted 1928 requirements
x	1927		3A	back-3		1927	3299
c	1928		3A OR 3B	back-3			3299
x	1929	August	3B	back-3		1929	3299
x	1930	March	3B	back-3		1930	3299
x	1930	August	3B	back-3		1930	3299
	1931	June	3B	back-3		1930	3299
	1932	not made
x	1933	May	3B	back-3	1M	1930	3299
	1934	March	3B	back-3	1M	1930	3299
	1934	November	3B	back-3	1M	1930	3299
x	1935	January	3B	back-3	1M	1930	3299
c	1935	June	3B	back-3	1M	1930	3299
x	1936	February	3B	back-3	2M	1930	3299
c	1937	July	3B	back-3	1M	1930	3299
x	1938	March	3C	back-3	1M	1930	3299
x	1938	March	3B	back-3	2M	1938	3299
x	1938	March	3D	back-3	2M	1938	3299
x	1939	April	3D	back-3	2M	1938	3299
	1940	April	3D	back-3	2M	1938	3299
x	1940	April	4	back-4	2M	1938	3299
x	1941	March	4	back-4	3M	1938	3299
x	1942	March	4	back-4	3M	1938	3299
x	1943	April	4	back-4	4M	1943	3299
x	1944	May	5A	back-5a	6M	1944	3299
x	1944	December	5B	back-5blank	6M	1944	3299
x	1945	June	5B	back-5blank	7M	1944	3299
x	1946	March	5B	back-5blank	9M	1944	3299
x	1946	April	5B	back-5blank	7M	1944	3299				HCF
	1947	not made
	1948	not made
x	1949	February	5B	back-5blank	7M	1944	3299
x	1950	March	5B	back-5blank	7M	1944	3299
x	1951	March	5B	back-5blank	7M	1944	3299
x	1951	September	5B	back-6a	10M	1944	3299
x	1952	September	6A-1	back-6b-1	10M	1944	3299
c	1953	March	6A-1	back-6b-1	7M	1944	3299
x	1953	August	6A-1	back-6b-1	4M	1944	3299
x	1953	November	6A-1	back-6b-1	3M	1944	3299
x	1954	February	6A-1	back-6b-2	12M	1944	3299				HCI
x	1954	October	6A-1	back-6b-2	10M	1944	3299
x	1955	April	6A-1	back-6b-2	15M	1944	3299				HCJV1
x	1955	November	6A-1	back-6b-2	12M	1944	3299
x	1956	December	6A-1	back-6b-2	25M	1944	3299
x	1957	July	6A-1	back-6b-2	25M	1944	3299
x	1958	July	6A-2	back-6c-2	30M	1944	3299
	1959	August	6A-2	back-6c-2	3.5M	1944	3299
x	1960	June	6B		55M	1960					HCJV2
x	1961	February	6B		35M	1960					HCJV2, HCP
x	1962	February	6B		35M	1960					HCJV2
x	1962	November	6B		35M	1960					HCJV2
x	1963	May	6B		45M	1960					HCP
x	1964	March	6B		50M	1960					HCK
x	1965	February	6B		55M	1960					HCL
x	1966	February	6B		60M	1960
x	1967	February	7A		60M	1960					HCL
x	1968	March	7A		60M	1960
x	1968	December	7A		75M	1960					HCL, HCN, HCR
	1969	not made
x	1970	February	7B		55M	1960
x	1971	January	7B		65M	1960					HCLM
x	1972	February	7B		60M	1960
x	1973	March	8A-1		20M	1960					HCSV1
x	1973	September	8A-1		55M	1960
	1974	not made
x	1975	January	8A-1		30M	1960
x	1975	April	8A-2		30M	1960
x	1976	March	8A-2		20M	1960
x	1977	April	8A-2		20M	1960
x	1978	May	8A-2		28M	1960
x	1979	May	8A-2		25M
x	1980	February	9A		24M	1980
x	1981	April	9A		24M	1980
x	1982	February	9A		28M	1980
x	1983	January	9A		30M	1980
x	1984	March	9A		25M	1980
x	1985	February	9A		30M	1980
x	1986	April	9A		25M	1980
x	1987	February	9A		30M	1980
x	1988	January	9A		30M	1980
x	1988	November	9A		30M	1980
x	1989	December	9A		34M	1980
	1990	not made
x	1991	June	9A		34M	1980
	1992	not made
x	1993	March	9B-1		26M	1993
x	1994	April	9B		25M
x	1994	November	9B-2		30M
x	1995	November	9B-2		30M
	1996	not made
x	1997	September	9B-2
x	1998		9B-2
	1999	not made
x	2000		9
x	2001		9C-1
x	2002		9C-1
x	2003		9C-1
x	2004		9C-1
x	2005		9C-1
x	2006		9C-1
x	2007		9C-2
x	2008		10A
	2009	not made
x	2010		10C
x	2010		10C									2nd printing
	2011	not made
	2012	not made
	2013	not made
x	2014		10C
x	2015		10C
x	2016		10C
x	2017		10C
	2018	not made
x	2019		10D
	2020	not made
	2021	not made
x	2022		10D
x	2023		10D
x	2024		10D
x	2024		11A	back-1125e		2024	35957	7301766624428	662442	300069374
	2025	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	10	2	22
1912	177	3	51
1913	441	3	56
1914	610	4	58
1915	993	1	58
1916	1,343	1	56
1917	1,898	1	58
1918	2,099	3	58
1919	4,338	5	59
1920	4,238	4	59
1921	6,629	4	61
1922	8,522	4	61
1923	8,641	4	63
1924	7,905	4	64
1925	11,024	4	64
1926	15,114	5	65
1927	17,423	5	68
1928	17,463	7	88
1929	20,886	6	89
1930	22,718	5	92
1931	26,747	4	96
1932	26,115	5	98
1933	28,013	5	101
1934	25,935	4	101
1935	28,093	6	101
1936	24,856	4	101
1937	26,094	3	102
1938	32,039	4	105
1939	33,839	5	106
1940	32,437	6	106
1941	29,763	6	106
1942	27,358	7	110
1943	29,395	6	112
1944	34,676	6	111
1945	32,802	6	111
1946	27,387	6	111
1947	26,376	6	111
1948	25,971	4	111
1949	29,983	4	111
1950	32,047	7	111
1951	37,319	4	111
1952	41,904	3	120
1953	43,213	4	105
1954	52,972	4	103
1955	59,443	4	100
1956	63,565	4	100
1957	64,320	4	100
1958	71,753	4	101
1959	79,759	3	101
1960	90,394	3	100
1961	99,908	2	101
1962	101,415	2	101
1963	104,618	2	102
1964	107,390	2	107
1965	108,179	2	109
1966	111,256	1	110
1967	114,087	1	112
1968	115,509	1	112
1969	117,336	1	113
1970	120,093	1	113
1971	115,627	1	113
1972	109,667	1	124
1973	102,771	1	122
1974	113,391	3	121
1975	106,712	3	128
1976	98,294	3	130
1977	89,914	2	130
1978	83,046	2	131
1979	75,535	2	132
1980	55,160	2	132
1981	84,574	2	134
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	93,488	2	123
1994
1995
1996	90,922	2	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	102,378	1	128
2001	70,626	3	129
2002	93,673	2	129
2003	86,405	2	130
2004	83,502	2	121
2005	75,796	2	121
2006	76,692	2	121
2007	74,108	2	121
2008	75,568	2	121
2009	76,807	3	122
2010	78,825	2	125
2011	80,938	2	129
2012	80,376	2	132
2013	72,946	1	129
2014	72,503	3	136
2015	71,821	2	138
2016	67,446	2	138
2017	62,057	2	139
2018	62,796	2	139
2019	59,074	2	139
2020	21,220	13	137
2021		1	137
2022		3	138
2023		3	138
2024		3	138
2025		4	141