Surname Sower - Meaning and Origin
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Sower: What does the surname Sower mean?
The surname Sower is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has an occupational basis, meaning it is derived from the profession or job that the initial bearer of this name once held. In the context of Sower, it is derived from the Old English term "sawere" which refers to a "sower of seeds" or a "planter". This provides an indication that the person with this name or their ancestor was likely involved in farming or agriculture, particularly the sewing of seeds, as a primary method of livelihood. This last name is common among populations in England and Germany, and variants include Sowter, Souter, and Suter. Like many other occupational surnames, when commoners were required to adopt hereditary surnames during the establishment of record-keeping practices, the easiest choice was often what they did for a living.
Order DNA origin analysisSower: Where does the name Sower come from?
The last name Sower is most common in Germany and Austria, but also has some representation in parts of the United States such as Pennsylvania and Virginia. In Germany, the Sower name is most frequently found in the states of Saxony, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, and Baden-Wurttemberg. In Austria, the Sower name is most frequently found in Vienna, Graz, and Linz-Upper Austria.
In Pennsylvania, the Sower name is found in areas such as Philadelphia, Lancaster County, Reading, and York. In Virginia, the Sower name is most commonly found in the Shenandoah Valley, Richmond, and Alexandria.
Population estimates for the last name Sower vary from as low as 158 people in Denmark to as high as 124,574 in Germany. On the whole, the Sower name can be found throughout Germany, Austria, and parts of the United States. It is also important to note that this is not an exhaustive list of countries and states where the Sower name is found. It could be present in other countries as well, but data is limited on the subject.
Variations of the surname Sower
Sower is a surname of English or French origin. It is derived from the Old French noun "souer" which is a synonym for "sewer" or "drainer". It is also derived from the Old English meaning "Sower of Seed", which is an occupational name for a sower of seed.
The variants of Sower are Souer, Souere, Sohar, Seward, Souerar, Soar, Sohrer, Sore, Souar, Soere, Saur, and Souer. Additionally, other spellings of the surname include Sowar, Sowr, Sewar, Sowere, Sewer, Seur, Seurer, Seure, Satre, Sourer, Elsauer, Sauro, Saurum, and Sauare.
Sower is sometimes anglicized as Sowry, which is a variant spelling for Souer. Sower is also found in some German dialects as Satre or Sattre.
For anglicization purposes, the surname Sower is sometimes spelled in different ways, usually with different consonants. Some examples of Anglicized spellings are Sowrey, Sourer, Sorrer, Seure, and Saugar.
Finally, other surnames sharing the same origin as Sower include Seward, Souerar, Soar, Soere, Saur, and Souer.
Famous people with the name Sower
- Paul Sower: professional basketball coach.
- Luke Sower: cinematographer and director.
- David Sower: famous German geologist.
- Reinhard Sower: States Attorney in the US Virgin Islands.
- Peter Sower: classical composer, organist, and teacher.
- Mary Sower: 64th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin.
- Judy Sower: artist and textile designer.
- William Sower: American journalist and author.
- Brian Sower: voice actor.
- Phil Sower: iron moulder and refrigeration engineer.