The family name Snodgrass is said to originate from lands in the parish of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, known as Snodgrasse, or Snodgers, at a bend in the River Garnock at 55°38' north, 4°42' west, which were rented out in plots. Both forms are recorded in Ayrshire and in Glasgow between the 13th and 16th centuries. The name means "smooth grassy place" in Northern Middle English. In 1528 a charter from the King lists the lands of "Snotgerss" as being one of the confirmed possessions of Hugh, third Earl of Eglinton; the next record seen of the name is in the late 17th century.
The first records of the family in the new world are in the early 18th century in Virginia. The Virginia town of Hedgesville (now West Virginia) was founded by William Snodgrass, who arrived in the American colonies in 1700. William Snodgrass is buried in the cemetery of Tuscarora Presbyterian Church in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Closer examination reveals a wave of immigrants from Scotland during the Highland Clearances, Highland Potato Famine (1846-1857), and Lowland Clearances; increasing family sizes probably prompted many Snodgrasses to leave when the land could no longer support all of them.
From Pennsylvania and other ports-of-entry, they have spread across the North American continent and today there are in excess of 6000 Snodgrass families in the United States and Canada.
In April 1979, a Certificate of Incorporation was granted to the Snodgrass Clan, Inc. by the state of Indiana. This was brought about by Scott F. Hosier, Jr. and Laurence E. Snodgrass. Through Hosier's efforts a "grant of arms" was granted to the Clan on March 15, 1984 by the Chief Herald of Ireland; however, the petition to be granted a "grant of arms" by Scotland was never finalized.
In 1979, Hosier ordered and received the first order of the official Snodgrass tartan. The weave code for the Snodgrass tartan is K6 R2 Y2 B22 G26 B10 R2 Y2, which was sourced to Dgn. T. S. Davidson.
Snodgrass as a surname, may refer to
Adrian Snodgrass, Australian architect and authority on Buddhist artAnthony Snodgrass, (1934–), archaeologistCarrie Snodgress, (1946–2004), American actress, Academy Awards nomineeDonald Ray Snodgrass (1935–), authorFred Snodgrass (1887–1974), American baseball playerHarry Snodgrass (1963–), Sound Designer for Film and TelevisionJohn Michael Owen Snodgrass, (1928–2008), ambassadorJon Snodgrass, (1941–), Panamanian authorKlyne Snodgrass, professor, theologian, author, alumnus of North Park Theological SeminaryLouise Virginia Snodgrass, (1942–), American legislatorLynn Snodgrass, Oregon Speaker of the HouseMark A. Snodgrass, (1964–), American legislatorMary Ellen Snodgrass, (1944–), American authorMelinda M. Snodgrass, screenwriter of The High Ground episode of Star Trek: The Next GenerationMilton Moore Snodgrass, (1931–), American authorRichard T. Snodgrass, (1955–), American computer scientistRobert Snodgrass, (1987–), Scottish footballerRobert Evans Snodgrass, entomologistWilliam De Witt Snodgrass (1926–2009), American poet who also wrote under the pseudonym S. S. GardonsWilliam R. Snodgrass (1922–2008), Tennessee Comptroller of the TreasuryWilliam Snodgrass (1827–1906), Canadian Presbyterian minister and the sixth Principal of Queen's College, now Queen's UniversityWilliam Snodgrass (1870–1939), politician from Nelson, New ZealandSnodgrass Hill, site of the Battle of Chickamauga, September 20, 1863Snodgrass Lagoon on Waterloo Creek in Australia, site of the Waterloo Creek massacre in 1838Snodgrass Village, on Garnock River, near Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland. Seen on British Artillery Map of 1775 as published by Ardrossan Historical Society, Ardrossan, Scotland.Snodgrass Mountain at Crested Butte, ColoradoSnodgrass Cemetery outside Vienna, Missourisnodgrass westport new zealandArtimus Snodgrass, character in the film The Sasquatch GangAugustus Snodgrass, a major character in The Pickwick Papers by Charles DickensHomer Snodgrass, a character in The Mad Scientists' Club stories by Bertrand R. BrinleyThomas Jefferson Snodgrass, pen name used by Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) for a sequence of travel letters now known as "The Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass Letters"Vera Snodgrass, grade one teacher in the Canadian comic strip The Mice Squad"Are You a Snodgrass?", a poem by Ogden Nash"The Deadly Mission of P. Snodgrass", short story by Frederik Pohl, included in the collection Day MillionPongo Snodgrass, of the titular comic strip in Whizzer and ChipsMiss Snodgrass, one of the stenographers in "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" by Frank Zappa