"inhabitant or native of the south," 1817, American English, from southern + -er (1). Contrasted with Yankee by 1828. Compare Southron. Souther "wind, gale, or storm from the south" is by 1851.
Entries linking to southerner
southern adj.
"of, pertaining to, directed toward, or coming from the south," Middle English southerne, from Old English suðerne, from suð "south" (see south) + -erne, suffix denoting direction. A common Germanic compound (Old Frisian suthern, Old Norse suðroenn, Old High German sundroni).
The southern-hemisphere constellation known as the Southern Cross was so called in English by 1756. Southern-fried as a generic reference to ways of cooking, etc. characteristic of the U.S. South is by 1972. Related: Southernism.
-er 1
English agent noun ending, corresponding to Latin -or. In native words it represents Old English -ere (Old Northumbrian also -are) "man who has to do with," from Proto-Germanic *-ari (cognates: German -er, Swedish -are, Danish -ere), from Proto-Germanic *-arjoz. Some believe this root is identical with, and perhaps a borrowing of, Latin -arius (see -ary).
Generally used with native Germanic words. In words of Latin origin, verbs derived from past participle stems of Latin ones (including most verbs in -ate) usually take the Latin ending -or, as do Latin verbs that passed through French (such as governor); but there are many exceptions (eraser, laborer, promoter, deserter; sailor, bachelor), some of which were conformed from Latin to English in late Middle English.
The use of -or and -ee in legal language (such as lessor/lessee) to distinguish actors and recipients of action has given the -or ending a tinge of professionalism, and this makes it useful in doubling words that have a professional and a non-professional sense (such as advisor/adviser, conductor/conducter, incubator/incubater, elevator/elevater).