| ![Show Contents]() Sode History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The name Sode is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family 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 Sode familyThe surname Sode 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 Sode familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sode research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sode History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sode Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Sode are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Sode include: Sowdon, Sowden, Sowton, Sowten and others. Early Notables of the Sode familyMore information is included under the topic Early Sode Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Sode familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Sode or a variant listed above: John, Michael, and Benjamin Sowden who settled in Maryland in 1774; William Sowden arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860; Mary Sowton settled in Maryland in 1737..
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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