Posted by: Carol Snedden
E-mail: <Sneddygirl@aol.com>
Date Posted: August 24, 19100 at 17:00:39
Subject: Re: Snedden's

Message:

: Does anyone know the origins of Snedden.
: It seems to be concentrated in the areas of Bo'ness and Dundee, Scotland.
: Although someone once said it might be Norwegian.

Subj: Your noticeboard message ref snedden
Date: 24/08/00 20:59:13 GMT Daylight Time
From: SNEDDYGIRL
To: mspdu@scv.warwick.ac.uk

I was always told that Snedden had an old-middle English root, Snead/sneath refers to a clearing in a forrest. Its a bit like eskimos & snow, I think old timers in the UK had a million words to describe types of soil - I was led to believe that this clearing would have been boggy or marshy...! Anyway, its one of our family myths. The more conventional root is just to say we're an offshoot of Snowden. Much less picturesque. Recently I saw on an american wevsite that the name and its variations could be traced back even from Scotland (it falls more or less in the Bo-Ness west lothian area) into Scandinavia via the Norse.. Someone has suggested Dutch roots - that area of the Forth traded heavily with the Dutch from 16C if not earlier, until quite recently. And this particular american had traced a family of Snedens to Leiden. Of course, it might be an entirely different set of Sneads, decended from the ones who lived in a dry clearing (joke). Bit of trivia anyway, and built of myths & legends in my own family rather than any historical or academic merit! Enjoy!

Re: Re: Snedden's - Stephanie Snedden 2-02-101