Surname Sokell - Meaning and Origin

Sokell: What does the surname Sokell mean?

The last name Sokell is of English origin and is derived as a surname from the common given name or first name Soken. This surname is fairly uncommon and is most likely a variant of the popular name Soken, which in turn is derived from the Old English word “soken” meaning an enclosure or settlement.

In the Middle Ages, settlements were oftenhilltop villages or settlements in the countryside surrounding a manor house or other more grand residence, and the people who lived in or around these settlements became known by the name of the settlement itself. As such, Sokell may have originally referred to someone who lived in or around a designated settlement known as a soken, hence why it is derived from that word.

Sokell is most commonly found in the UK, particularly in counties within East Anglia (Norfolk, Cambridge etc) where it has its highest concentration of bearers. However, it is also found in other places around the world where its bearers have moved, such as Canada and the United States.

When the name is found in records, it is often recorded as a variant spelling of the much more common name Soken, such as Sokens, Seachin or Searson. Thus, it is likely that the name began as a variant spelling of Soken, and over time that spelling became adopted as the primary name among the people of that area.

Overall, Sokell is an fairly uncommon surname which is believed to be derived from the Old English word “soken”, meaning an enclosure or settlement. This name is most commonly found in the UK, particularly East Anglia, however is also present in other areas of the world where its bearers have moved. As a variant spelling of the much more common surname Soken, the name is likely to be one that the bearers of the name have held for generations.

Sokell: Where does the name Sokell come from?

The last name Sokell is not very common in the United States today. It is a variant spelling of Sowell, which is a bit more common but still not very widespread. According to the U. S Census Bureau, there were only 547 people in the United States with the last name Sokell in 2018. This made it the 14,039th most common last name in the U. S., far behind more common last names such as Smith, Johnson, and Williams. Interestingly, members of the Sokell family are more likely to be found in the United Kingdom where the name is more established. Between the United Kingdom and Ireland, these countries featured 1,829 people with the last name Sokell in 2011.

In general, the Sokell family typically has an English or Irish origin as records indicate that the name has been present in that region since at least the 14th century. In Ireland, the name was particularly widespread in the ancient county of Clare, and it is likely that many people in the United States with the last name Sokell can trace their ancestry to this location. Unfortunately, due to the relatively small number of Sokells in the United States, it can be difficult to trace a connection between different members of the family.

Variations of the surname Sokell

The surname Sokell has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant of this surname is Sockall, also spelled Sockill, Sockul, or Sokul. This surname is of English origin, derived from the Old English seccol or seocoll, meaning "pleasant" or "peaceful".

Other variants of Sokell that may be found in English records include Soakle, Soakill, Soakell, Soukell, Soukle, Suckell, Sockell, Sockale, and Suffkill. These variations of this surname were often spelled phonetically and thus, spelling variants arise depending on the scribe or subject.

The surname can also be traced to Ireland, particularly to Counties Cork and Kerry. In these areas, the surname is spelled differently, as Sukhill, Sukeall, Sukell, Sokell (also spelled Sokill) and Scotland, where it is spelled sometimes as Sucolle, Suchil, Suchilh, and Sukeill.

In the United States, this surname is sometimes encountered as Suckell, which is often an Americanized spelling of the above variants from England and the British Isles.

In Canada, the surname is quite common with the spelling Scoullar, an anglicized form of Scottish M'Scoullar and MacScouller.

Other surnames which may have a connection to Sokell include Sockett, Sockit, Soke and Sokill. All of these surnames are derived from the same root as Sokell.

Famous people with the name Sokell

• Horace Sokell: New Zealand rugby union player who captained the 1927 All Blacks tour of South Africa
• Austin Sokell: Canadian Paralympic swimmer who won four bronze medals in 2012
• Donald Sokell: American motivational speaker and author
• Christine Sokell: American actress and stand-up comedian
• Robin Sokell: British writer and environmental activist
• Keelan Sokell: English professional footballer
• Steve Sokell: Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales
• Emma Sokell: British figure skater and two-time national champion
• John Sokell: British art curator and director of the Tate gallery
• Sophie Sokell: American television producer and screenwriter

Other surnames

Sokel