Show ContentsSobey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Sobey Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Sobey

What does the name Sobey mean?

The Sobey surname evolved from any of several places so named in Northern England. The place name comes from the Old Norse "saurr," meaning "ground," and "the Old English "byr," meaning farm. 1 2

Alternatively, the name could have originated in the far south of England, specifically Cornwall and Devon where could have been derived from the Middle English personal name Soby. "It could also derive from the rare Old French name Sob(b)o, a pet form of ancient Germanic names like Sudbald and Sudbert (composed of the elements sud- 'south' + -bald 'bold' and -bert 'bright'). A habitational name from a shortened form of Sobbery, a Middle English form of Sodbury, Gloucestershire, is also formally possible but no evidence has been found that definitely links the two names. This surname is found in Cornwall from the late 13th century." 3

Early Origins of the Sobey family

The surname Sobey was first found in the North Riding of Yorkshire at Sowerby, a chapelry, in the parish and union of Thirsk, wapentake of Birdforth. Another chapelry named Sowerby can be found in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 4 Both date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were both recorded as Sorebi at that time. 5

Castle Sowerby is a civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England and it is here that Odierna de Sourebi was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1195. Years later, Richard Surby was listed in London in 1381 and in the same year, William Sourby was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls. 6

Also in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, we found Thomas de Sawreby; and Johannes de Sawreby. 7

"Sowerby is the name of parishes and townships in the North and West Ridings, in Lancashire, and Cumberland. Between the reigns of Charles II. and George I. three Thomas Sowerbys were buried in the minister yard, Ripon. Soureby was a Yorkshire surname in the reign of Edward I.. The Sowerbys are also represented in the counties of Cumberland, Durham (around Darlington), and Lincoln." 3

Today, the variants Sower and Sowers is an abbreviated form of the name Sowersby. 6

Early History of the Sobey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sobey research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1609, 1699, 1757, 1787, 1788, 1811, 1812, 1822, 1825, 1831, 1843, 1844, 1847, 1852, 1854, 1871, 1884 and 1891 are included under the topic Early Sobey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sobey Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Sobey has undergone many spelling variations, including Sowerby, Sowerbie, Sowersby, Sorebi, Soreby, Soureby, Sowerbutts, Sourbutts, Sorbutt, Sowers and many more.

Early Notables of the Sobey family

Thomas Surbey, an English water engineer made notes of the lock at Hudd's Mill in 1699. James Sowerby (1757-1822) was a British naturalist and illustrator, whose sons would continue his work. He was the son of John Sowerby (descendant of an old border family through the Yorkshire branch) and Arabella, his wife, was born in London on 21 March 1757. He became a student at the Royal Academy, and was an articled pupil of Richard Wright, the marine painter. In his early years he was a teacher of drawing and a portrait-painter. His eldest son, James de Carle Sowerby (1787-1871), naturalist and artist...
Another 448 words (32 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sobey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sobey migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sobey were among those contributors:

Sobey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Sobey, aged 46, who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Livingston" in 1853 8
  • Joseph Sobey, aged 23, who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Saratoga" in 1854 8
  • Eliza Sobey, aged 24, who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Samaria" in 1869 8
  • Eliza A. Sobey, aged 22, who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Samaria" in 1869 8
  • Thomas H. Sobey, aged 7, who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Samaria" in 1869 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sobey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Annie Sobey, aged 4, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Lucania" in 1900 8
  • Shartie N. Sobey, aged 34, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Lucania" in 1900 8
  • Wm F. Sobey, aged 2, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Lucania" in 1900 8

Sobey migration to Canada +

Sobey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Ole Sobey, aged 35, who arrived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Californian" in 1898 9
Sobey Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Edith Sobey, aged 32, who arrived in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Empress of Ireland" in 1906 9
  • William Sobey, aged 3, who arrived in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Empress of Ireland" in 1906 9
  • Elsia Sobey, aged 2, who arrived in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Empress of Ireland" in 1906 9
  • William Sobey, aged 22, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada aboard the ship "Mongolian" in 1907 9
  • Edward J. Sobey, who arrived in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Canada" in 1911 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sobey migration to Australia +

Sobey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Frederick Sobey, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 9th May 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
  • Mr. Thomas Sobey, (b. 1824), aged 29, Cornish agricultural labourer departing from Plymouth on 14th January 1853 aboard the ship "Earl Grey" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 2nd May 1853 11
  • Mrs. Mary A. Sobey, (b. 1825), aged 28, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 14th January 1853 aboard the ship "Earl Grey" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 2nd May 1853 11
  • Mr. Edwin Sobey, (b. 1850), aged 3, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 14th January 1853 aboard the ship "Earl Grey" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 2nd May 1853 11
  • Miss Fanny Sobey, (b. 1852), aged 1, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 14th January 1853 aboard the ship "Earl Grey" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 2nd May 1853 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sobey Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century
  • W. Sobey, who arrived in Fremantle, Australia aboard the ship "Riverina" in 1906 12
  • Fray M. Sobey, aged 21, who arrived in Sydney, Australia aboard the ship "Afric" in 1910 13
  • Mabel Sobey, who arrived in Sydney, Australia aboard the ship "Barrabool" in 1932 12
  • Reginald C. Sobey, who arrived in Melbourne, Australia aboard the ship "Moreton Bay" in 1948 12
  • Winifred M. Sobey, who arrived in Melbourne, Australia aboard the ship "Moreton Bay" in 1948 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sobey 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:

Sobey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • A. H. Sobey, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Caduceus" in 1872 14
  • W. T. Sobey, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Caduceus" in 1872 14

Contemporary Notables of the name Sobey (post 1700) +

  • John William Sobey (1869-1949), British born Canadian who was the original founder of Sobeys Food Chain Empire
  • Martin Sobey (b. 1996), Canadian athlete in Triathlon
  • David Sobey (1931-2023), Canadian former president and CEO of Sobeys Inc
  • William MacDonald Sobey (1927-1989), Canadian chairman of the board of Sobeys Stores Ltd, he continued the family control of the Nova Scotia-based chain of food stores founded in 1907 by his grandfather, John William Sobey
  • Frank Hoyse Sobey (1902-1985), OC was a Canadian businessman and art collector who was the primary builder of the Sobeys chain of supermarkets
  • Eliza Bessie Sobey (1871-1960), Canadian former school teacher, 1931 first president of Stellarton's Local Council of Women and wife to John William Sobey founder of Sobeys Food Chain
  • Mr. Darren Sobey M.B.E., British Warrant Officer Class 2 for Royal Regiment of Artillery, recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018 15
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Samuel James Hayden Sobey (d. 1912), aged 25, English Second Class passenger from Porthallow, Cornwall who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 16
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  8. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  9. Library and Archives Canada retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/collection/research-help/genealogy-family-history/immigration/Pages/immigration.aspx
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
  11. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
  12. National Archives of Australia retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/PassengerListing.aspx
  13. Public Record Office Victoria retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://prov.vic.gov.au
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  16. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html

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