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

Souder, 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 Souder surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Souder in America

Souder is the 8342nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Souder surname appeared 3,968 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 Souder.

We can also compare 2010 data for Souder 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 Souder

The surname Souder is of German origin, derived from the Old German word "souter" or "suter," which means "shoemaker" or "cobbler." It is believed to have originated in the 14th century in the regions of southern Germany and Switzerland.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late medieval period, with references found in various town records and church registers. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hans Souder, a shoemaker who lived in the town of Freiburg, Germany, in the late 15th century.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, many German families with the surname Souder emigrated to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England. Some notable individuals from this period include Johann Souder (1562-1621), a German Protestant theologian and professor at the University of Heidelberg, and Peter Souder (1589-1654), a Dutch merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the Dutch East India Company.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Sauder, Sauther, and Sutter. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many German families with the surname Souder immigrated to North America, particularly to Pennsylvania and other parts of the United States.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Souder was John Souder (1815-1891), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Another notable figure was George Souder (1856-1932), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Souder include William Souder (1837-1909), an American Civil War veteran and founder of the town of Souder, Missouri, and Mary Souder (1875-1957), an American artist and illustrator known for her works depicting Native American life.

Throughout its history, the surname Souder has maintained a strong connection to its origins as a shoemaker or cobbler, reflecting the importance of this trade in medieval and early modern European societies. Despite its German roots, the name has spread across various countries and continents, becoming a part of diverse cultural and historical narratives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Souder

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

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 Souder 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 Souder 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 Souder was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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