Show ContentsSoda History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Soda name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Soda was originally derived from a family having lived in an area that was referred to as the south down. The surname may also refer to the valley where the sows were kept. In either occasion the surname denotes a place-name in the county of Devon. [1]

Early Origins of the Soda family

The surname Soda was first found in Devon at Sowton, a parish, in the union of St. Thomas, partly in the hundred of East Budleigh, but chiefly in that of Wonford. [2]

The earliest record of the parish was in 1420, when it was recorded as Southton. Literally the place name means "south farmstead or village." Interestingly the place name was originally known as Clis [3] at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, after the River Clyst. However, there is no known record as to why the name change took place. [4]

Another source claims the name originated in Yorkshire where Alan Soldenc, Soldench was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1166 and 1175. Later, Roger le Soudan was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Yorkshire in 1208 and later again, Robert le Sowden was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls for Berkshire in 1279. [5]

Early History of the Soda family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Soda research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Soda History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Soda Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Soda include Sowdon, Sowden, Sowton, Sowten and others.

Early Notables of the Soda family

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


United States Soda migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Soda Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John George Soda, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 [6]
  • Christian Soda, who landed in America in 1864 [6]


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. 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)


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