| ![Show Contents]() Sowder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland England The name Sowder began among the descendants of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. It was a name for a cobbler. The name is derived from the Old English word soutere, which in turn comes from the Old Norse word sutare, which means shoemaker or cobbler. 1 2 We include this excerpt from a 16th century play: "Of that surname I neid nocht be aschomit For I con mak schone, butekins and buittis: Gif me the coppie of the king's cuittis, And ye sail se, richt sune, quhat I can do." Sir David Lindsay, Ane Satyre of the Thrie Esteaites, June 1552. Roughly translated into more modern English: "Of that surname I need not be ashamed, for I can make schone, butekins, and buittis" (boots) "give me a copy of the king's cuittis and ye shall see, right soon, what I can do." Early Origins of the Sowder familyThe surname Sowder was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire. The first on record was Roger Sutor who held land in Dumfries, a. 1214, and later, Kolin, son of Anegus the Souter, was present at the pleas held at Dull in Angus in 1264. Bernard called Sutor had a charter of a house in the tenement of Drumelzier, c. 1300-1320. Fynlai sutor was prepositus of Stirling, 1327, and in 1330 Symon sutor was prepositus of the burgh of Culan. 3 Further south in England, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 recorded John le Suter, Cambridgeshire; and William le Sutere, Cambridgeshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 elude to the occupational nature of the name: Johannes de Morton, souter; Johannes Schether, souter; Johannes Sowter, sutor; and Adam Souterson, souiert. 4 Early History of the Sowder familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sowder research. Another 369 words (26 lines of text) covering the years 1110, 1327, 1375, 1402, 1422, 1438, 1457, 1460, 1464, 1511, 1527, 1586, 1633, 1660 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Sowder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sowder Spelling VariationsTranslation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Sowder has appeared Souter, Suter, Sutar, Souttar, Soutar, Sutter, Shuter and many more. Early Notables of the Sowder familyMore information is included under the topic Early Sowder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sowder RankingIn the United States, the name Sowder is the 7,643rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5
 Sowder migration to the United States | + |
Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Sowder name:
Sowder Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Mary Sowder, who landed in Maryland in 1679 6
Sowder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Petter Sowder, aged 48, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 6
- Hants Philipp Sowder, aged 17, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 6
- George Thomas Sowder, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1744 6
- Charles Sowder, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 6
Sowder Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- F. Sowder, who landed in America, in 1908
- Francis B. Sowder, aged 22, who settled in America, in 1908
- Mrs. B. Frank Sowder, aged 38, who landed in America, in 1908
| Contemporary Notables of the name Sowder (post 1700) | + |
- V. M. Sowder, American politician, Member of Virginia State Senate 26th District, 1912-15 7
- Earl C. Sowder, American Republican politician, Independent Republican Candidate for U.S. Representative from Arkansas 5th District, 1946 7
- Sam Sowder (b. 1975), Canadian professional hockey player
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Sowder migration to the United States 
