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

Sowden, 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 Sowden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sowden in America

Sowden is the 29403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sowden surname appeared 804 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Sowden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sowden 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 Sowden

The surname Sowden has its origins in England and is believed to have originated in the medieval period, sometime between the 11th and 15th centuries. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the place name Sowden, a township in the parish of Halifax, West Yorkshire. The name itself is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sogh" and "denu," meaning "marshy valley."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sowden can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1297, where a person named Adam de Sowden is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Sowden appeared in various records, such as the Yorkshire Chantry Surveys of 1546, where a William Sowden was listed as a chantry priest in the parish of Almondbury. Additionally, in the Yorkshire Wills and Administrations from 1559, a John Sowden of Wakefield was mentioned.

During the 17th century, the surname Sowden continued to be found in various records across Yorkshire. For example, in the Yorkshire Musters of 1615, a John Sowden was listed as a resident of the township of Sowden in the parish of Halifax. Furthermore, in the Yorkshire Parish Registers of 1642, a marriage between Robert Sowden and Jennet Oldfield was recorded in the parish of Almondbury.

One notable person with the surname Sowden from this time period was Thomas Sowden (1628-1692), an English clergyman who served as the rector of Adstock in Buckinghamshire. He was born in Yorkshire and was known for his religious writings, including a work titled "The Unmasking of Trifling Objections against the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity" (1675).

In the 18th century, the surname Sowden continued to be prevalent in Yorkshire, with various records mentioning individuals with this name. One example is the Yorkshire Land Tax Returns of 1762, which listed a John Sowden as a landowner in the township of Sowden.

During the 19th century, the surname Sowden began to spread beyond Yorkshire, with individuals bearing this name being found in other parts of England and even in other countries. One notable person from this period was John Sowden (1836-1911), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and Essex.

Another individual with the surname Sowden who gained prominence in the 19th century was Robert Sowden (1805-1878), an English poet and writer who published several works, including "The Triple Wreath: A Collection of Poems" (1842) and "The Wanderings of Memory: A Descriptive Poem" (1855).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sowden

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

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

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

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