Show ContentsSnyder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestral home of the Snyder family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Snyder is an occupational hereditary surname, a type of surname that was taken from a word describing or common to the profession of the original bearer. It is a name for a person who worked as a tailor. This name is derived from the Old German word "snidanaere," which refers to a cloth cutter or a clothing tailor. Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the term 'snidaere' which denoted someone involved in cutting and shaping, for example, the woodcutter and the sculptor.

Early Origins of the Snyder family

The surname Snyder was first found in the Palatinate, in the south of Germany, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the growth of the nation.

Early History of the Snyder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Snyder research. Another 201 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1649, 1757, 1786, 1790, 1810, 1820 and 1853 are included under the topic Early Snyder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Snyder Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Snyder include Schneidern, Schneidter, Schneyder, Schneid and many more.

Early Notables of the Snyder family

More information is included under the topic Early Snyder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Snyder Ranking

In the United States, the name Snyder is the 178th most popular surname with an estimated 136,785 people with that name. 1


United States Snyder migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Snyder were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Snyder Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Hendrick Jansen Snyder, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1609-1664 2
Snyder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Snyder, who arrived in New York in 1709 2
  • Koenraet Snyder, who landed in New York in 1709 2
  • Christian Snyder, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1727 aboard the ship "William and Sarah" 2
  • Magdelin Snyder, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1729 2
  • Mathias Snyder, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1729 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Snyder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Gottlub Snyder, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 2
  • Margaret Snyder, aged 67, who landed in New York in 1802 2
  • Nicolaus Snyder, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 2
  • Jacob Snyder, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 2
  • Joseph Snyder, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Snyder Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mat Snyder, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 2

Canada Snyder migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Snyder Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Jacob Snyder U.E. who settled in Eastern District, Lancaster [South Glengarry], Ontario c. 1780 he arrived with a wife and 8 children 3
  • Mr. Christian Snyder U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
  • Mr. Abraham Snyder U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
  • Mr. John Snyder U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
  • Mr. John Snyder U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Snyder Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Samuel Snyder, who arrived in Canada in 1832
  • Elias Snyder, who landed in Canada in 1836

Contemporary Notables of the name Snyder (post 1700) +

  • Richard Elliot Snyder (1933-2023), American publishing executive from Brooklyn, known for his tenures at Simon & Schuster and Western Publishing
  • Donald William Snyder (1951-2023), American politician, Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1981-2000)
  • James Eugene "Jim" Snyder Jr. (1945-2021), American author, attorney and politician, member of the Republican Party
  • Michael James Snyder (1950-2018), American business executive, the first franchisee of the Red Robin restaurant chain, later President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board
  • Larry Lloyd Snyder (1942-2018), American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey who had 6,388 career wins, inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2006
  • Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1927-2014), American author of books for children and young adults
  • Charles B. J. Snyder (1860-1945), American architect, architectural engineer, and mechanical engineer
  • Simon Snyder (1759-1819), early American politician, 3rd Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1808-1817)
  • Edward Abraham Snyder (1919-2011), American Golden Globe Award winning composer and songwriter, co-writer of Frank Sinatra's 1966 hit, "Strangers in the Night"
  • John Otterbein Snyder (1867-1943), American zoologist
  • ... (Another 183 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Flight TWA 800
  • Capt. Steven E. Snyder (1939-1996), from Stratford, Connecticut, USA, American TWA Pilot flying aboard flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; he died in the crash 4
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Anthony  Snyder, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 5
RMS Titanic
  • Mrs. Nellie Snyder, (née Stevenson), aged 23, American First Class passenger from Minneapolis, Minnesota who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 7 6
  • Mr. John Pillsbury Snyder, aged 24, American First Class passenger from Minneapolis, Minnesota who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 7 6


Suggested Readings for the name Snyder +

  • Barth and Schneider (also Snyder) Families by Jack Frederick Snyder.
  • The Jacob Snyder Family History by Loucile Ruth Mayhew Heckman.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  4. The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm
  5. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  6. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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