Snowdon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Snowdon name is a habitational name taken on from the place Snowden, in West Yorkshire. The place name is derived from the Old English words "snow," meaning "snow," and "dun," meaning "hill." 1 2

"There are hamlets called Upper and Lower Snowden in West Yorkshire, Snowden Close in Cumberland, and a Snowdon Pool in Salop (Shropshire). The great Welsh mountain may occasionally have contributed to this surname by the migration of a Welshman from its neighbourhood." 1

However, another source notes that the "surname is not likely to have been derived from the famous Welsh mountain. It is probably the name of some English locality." 3

Early Origins of the Snowdon family

The surname Snowdon was first found in Essex where Henry de Snewedon was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1277. The following year Matthew de Snoudon was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1278. 4

In Somerset, John Snowdone was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

In Scotland, Snadden and its variants were more common and the name may have originated "from the lands of Snaw-done (1637) or Snawdoune (1649) in the bailliary of Lawderdaill." 6

Early History of the Snowdon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Snowdon research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1600, 1616, 1640, 1688, 1699, 1711, 1744 and 1763 are included under the topic Early Snowdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Snowdon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Snowden, Sneddan, Sneddon, Snedden, Snawdone and many more.

Early Notables of the Snowdon family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Snowdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Snowdon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Snowdon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Margaret Snowdon, English settler from Devon travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Snowdon (post 1700) +

David A. Snowdon (b. 1952), American epidemiologist and professor of neurology at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky
Ross M. Snowdon Jr., American politician, Candidate for Mayor of East Detroit, Michigan, 1969 8
Howard J. Snowdon, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1944 8
Brian Victor Snowdon (1935-2023), English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Blackpool, Portsmouth, Millwall and Crystal Palace as a defender
Andrew Snowdon (b. 1965), English cricketer
Michael Snowdon (b. 1947), English cricketer
Lisa Snowdon (b. 1972), English fashion model, television personality and presenter, host of the reality television show Britain's Next Top Model (2006 to 2009)
Christopher John Snowdon, British author and freelance journalist
Warren Edward Snowdon (b. 1950), Australian politician, Member of the Australian Parliament for Northern Territory (1987-1996)
Jack Snowdon Hawkins (1929-2021), birth name of Jack Hedley, a British actor, best known for his performances on television; he had to change his name to avoid confusion with Jack Hawkins, another actor who was registered with the British actors' trade union Equity

Historic Events for the Snowdon family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. John Robert Snowdon (d. 1914), British Assistant Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 9

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html