Sultan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Sultan surname 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 Sultan family

The surname Sultan 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 Sultan family

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

Sultan Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Sultan 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. The variations of the name Sultan include: Sowdon, Sowden, Sowton, Sowten and others.

Early Notables of the Sultan family

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

Sultan Ranking

In the United States, the name Sultan is the 13,631^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 However, in France, the name Sultan is ranked the 6,336^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Sultan family

Many 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 Sultan 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..

Contemporary Notables of the name Sultan (post 1700) +

Amet-Han Sultan, Russian fighter pilot and flying ace in the Soviet Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 30 aerial victories
Sultan McCullough (b. 1980), American NFL running back

Citations +

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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/