Sverdlov was born in Nizhny Novgorod as Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov to Jewish parents Mikhail Izrailevich Sverdlov and Elizaveta Solomonova.
Sverdlov lahir di Nizhny Novgorod dengan nama Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov dari orangtua Yahudi Mikhail Izrailevich Sverdlov dan Elizaveta Solomonova.