Surname Snodgrass - Meaning and Origin

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E. Snodgrass

Snodgrass: What does the surname Snodgrass mean?

Snodgrass is a Scottish surname derived from Snotter's, a place so-named in Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is derived from Old English "gesnot", which means mucus, hence some interpretations suggest it could mean “muddy grass” or "wet grass," as well as "Beautiful Grass". The surname Snodgrass belonged to one of the earliest known families in Scotland, tracing back to the 12th century. It was a prominent family in the Scottish region of Renfrewshire. Despite its humorous connotation in modern times, this surname carries with it a history of nobility, and a lineage of scholars and public service persons. Those bearing the surname Snodgrass in Scotland were known to be well established in the region, with lands named after them.

Snodgrass: Where does the name Snodgrass come from?

The last name Snodgrass is most commonly found in the United States today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is the 2,907th most popular surname, and it occurs roughly 0.001% of the time.

The surname is derived from a combination of two words in Old English, "sneot" which means "nose" and "grass" which means "grass". Together, the words translate to "large grassy area where the nose of a pig or other animal could root through in search of food".

While the name is primarily found in the United States, it is still a fairly popular surname throughout the United Kingdom, having been documented since 1219 when Roger de Snodgrass was recorded in Somerset. It is more common in southwestern England counties such as Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset. The name is also found in Ireland and Scotland, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and somewhat more uncommonly, in Germany.

The Snodgrass family crest is symbolic of a boar's head on a red background. The most common variant of the surname is Snodgrass, but different variations include Snodgerass, Snodegrass, Snodgrasse, Snodderass, and Snodgrass-Gray.

Fun fact: In 2019, the 11th-century cemetery of Boscombe Down in the British county of Wiltshire was found to contain a Snodgrass family grave.

Variations of the surname Snodgrass

The surname Snodgrass is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have derived from the term ‘snoedgrasse’, used to describe someone with a bold or brave personality. Over time, the surname has evolved to include several variants and spellings, such as Snodgrass, Snodgrasse, Sneadgrass and Sneadgrasse.

In Scotland and England, the surname is often seen spelled as Snodgrass, while in the United States, it can be found spelled as Sneadgrass or Sneadgrasse. In some cases, the most common variation Snead may be used on its own as an alternative surname.

The first recorded spelling of the surname was in the 12th century when a Robert Snodgrasse was recorded in 1275 in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire. Since then, various spellings of the surname have been found in records, with a William Snodgrasse being recorded in the year 1300 in the Feudal Aids Records of Wiltshire.

Other surnames believed to stem from the same origin as Snodgrass include the Scottish Snutter, Sneedorff and the Americanized Snodder.

In addition to the surname itself, Snodgrass may also refer to a variety of places and businesses. Most notably, the small town of Snodgrass, Missouri is named after the Snodgrass family who settled in the area during the early 19th century. Similarly, the Snodgrass Funeral Home in Kentucky is named after local businessman, Jimmy Snodgrass.

Famous people with the name Snodgrass

• Emmylou Harris: country music icon, known for her pioneering fusion of country and rock in the ‘70s and collaborations with Gram Parsons
• T.D. Jakes: influential pastor, best-selling author and entrepreneur from West Virginia
• William Snodgrass: Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, translator and editor
• Logan Snodgrass: professional lacrosse player, playing for the Major League Lacrosse team, the Denver Outlaws
• Lori Snodgrass: award-winning TV producer and editor, Executive Producer of ‘American Family’
• Rob Snodgrass: Scottish international footballer with over 600 professional appearances
• Tom Snodgrass: American Olympic swimmer and gold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
• Mike Snodgrass: leading motorsport journalist and published author
• Willard Snodgrass: American author, best known for his children’s fantasy novel ‘The Flying Sorceror’
• Stan Snodgrass: American ornithologist and conservationist

Other surnames

Snodgrasse

Comments or additions to the name "Snodgrass"

25.01.2024
Curious if a possible 5th century source of our name came from:
The Snotingas were an Anglian tribe who either took their name from a chieftain called "Snot" or "Snod", or from the word Snottenga, meaning "caves". The Snotingas occupied the settlement of Snottengaham or Snodengaham (modern Nottingham).[1]

The Snotingas gave their name to the settlements of Nottingham, first recorded as Snotengaham,[2] and nearby Sneinton, first recorded as Snotinton.[3]

Nottingham's St Mary's Church was probably established as a minster as early as the late 7th century,[4] and the extent of its minster parish is likely to represent the original extent of the territory of the Snotingas.[3] Although determining this area is complicated by the large amount of land held by St Mary's granted to Lenton Priory after the Norman Conquest, it certainly included Whiston in the north of the modern city, and probably the areas of Lenton, Radford, Basford, Arnold, West Bridgford, Wilford, Barton and Clifton.[3]