Find out how popular the last name Soe is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Soe.

Soe, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Soe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Soe in America

Soe is the 17033rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Soe surname appeared 1,668 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Soe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Soe to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Soe

The surname Soe has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "soe," meaning a small stream or brook. It is likely that the name originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded reference to the name Soe appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls submitted to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name is spelled as "Sou," which is believed to be an early variation of the modern spelling.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William Soe, a Scottish knight who lived in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in several historical records from that time period, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the form "Soye" in the records of the Burgh of Aberdeen, Scotland. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been influenced by the French language during that time.

The name Soe has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Soefield and Soeburn, further indicating its geographical origins.

Among notable individuals with the surname Soe throughout history are:

1. John Soe (c. 1550-1618), a Scottish clergyman and reformer.
2. Robert Soe (1592-1667), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer.
3. Elizabeth Soe (1635-1711), a Scottish writer and poet.
4. James Soe (1720-1795), a Scottish soldier and explorer.
5. William Soe (1804-1879), a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist.

While the surname Soe is not as common today as it once was, its historical roots in Scotland and its association with geographical features and notable individuals make it a significant part of Scottish heritage and cultural identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Soe

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Soe.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Soe was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Soe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Soe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Soe, please contact us.

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