The white-backed swallow was formally described in 1841 by the English ornithologist John Gould based on a specimen collected on the banks of the Namoi River in New South Wales, Australia.

[2][3] The white-backed swallow is now the only species placed in the genus Cheramoeca that was introduced in 1851 by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis.

As a Latinised adjective the epithet should agree with a feminine genus name which means that the original binomial name should be written as Hirundo leucosterna.

They can be found from the southern latitudes of Australia and their range extends to the Tropic of Capricorn.

Occasionally, after inland rainfall, white-backed swallows can extend their range to encompass the entire southern portion of Australia including the desert regions.

[13] Due to range expansion from land clearance and mining, the population is estimated to be increasing.

Due to the large range and increasing population, the white-backed swallow is categorised as least concern by the IUCN.