A Survey of English Bynames: Sewster, Suster

by Mari ingen Briain meic Donnchada (Kathleen M. O'Brien)

Sewster, Suster
Two similar words seem to have been confused in these forms. Based on the information from Reaney & Wilson and Bardsley (see below), the majority of the dated forms below seem to be a form of Sewster, a feminine form indicating someone who sews. A few of the dated forms below may be a form of Suster (or Souster) a feminine form indicating a shoemaker. "ME sewester, sowester from OE sēowian 'to sew', 'a woman who sews, a sempstress', the feminine of Sewer." (Reaney & Wilson, p. 418 s.n. Souster) "Sutor, which is now rare but was very common in the 12th century, is Lat sutor 'shoemaker', often a translation of OE sūtere, the source of the remaining forms." (Reaney & Wilson, p. 418 s.n. Souter) "Occup. 'the sewster,' one who sewed; cf. Simister. The suffix is the feminine -ster." (Bardsley, p. 679 s.n. Sewster) "Occup. 'the souster,' a female shoemaker, fem. suffix -ster (v. Soutar)." (Bardsley, p. 703 s.n. Souster)

Name			Additional Description	Date	Source
Cristiana		Seustere		1279	Reaney & Wilson (p. 418 s.n. Souster)
Alice		Sewstere		1301	Reaney & Wilson (p. 418 s.n. Souster)
Emma	le	Sowester		35 Edw. I [1306-1307]	Bardsley (p. 703 s.n. Souster)
Emma	le	Sowester		1307	Reaney & Wilson (p. 418 s.n. Souster)
Juliana	le	Suster		1309	Reaney & Wilson (p. 418 s.n. Souster)
Margery	le	Sewester		1326	Reaney & Wilson (p. 418 s.n. Souster)
Alicia		Seuster		1379	Bardsley (p. 703 s.n. Souster)
Robert		Sewstere	, vicar of Gateley	1383	Bardsley (p. 679 s.n. Sewster)
William		Sewster		temp. Henr. VIII	Bardsley (p. 703 s.n. Souster)

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