The name Sunderland is reputed to come from Soenderland (soender/sunder being the Anglo Saxon infinitive, meaning to part) likely to be reference to the valley carved by the River Wear that runs through the heart of the city. Another meaning is that of the name referring to land set aside, derived from the rich Christian heritage of the city. However, in Danish, Sonderland would mean the south land or southern side.
674 - Monkwearmouth was settled in 674 when Benedict Biscop founded the Wearmouth-Jarrow monastery.

686 - The community was taken over by Ceolfried, and Wearmouth-Jarrow become a major centre of learning and knowledge and had a library of around 300 volumes.

930 - Lands on the south side of the river were granted to the Bishop of Durham by Athelstan of England. These lands became known as Bishopwearmouth.

1100  -  Bishopwearmouth parish included a small fishing village at the southern mouth of the river known as Soenderland and this settlement was granted a charter in 1179 by the Bishop of Durham.

1346 – Ships being built at Wearmouth by Thomas Menville

1348 – 49 – Sunderland suffered from the Black Death

1589 – Salt started being made in Sunderland. The salt was made in Iron Pans at Panns Bank.

1644 - A Scottish army allied to the king’s enemies were stationed at Sunderland and clashes occurred in the vicinity with Royalist troops under the Marquis of Newcastle who moved against them. During the Civil War, Parliament blockaded the Tyne which crippled the Newcastle coal trade and allowed the Sunderland coal trade to flourish.

1717 – The Wear Commissioners was formed (body of men)

1719 – The separate parish of Sunderland was carved from the densely populated east end of Bishopwearmouth by the establishment of Holy Trinity, Sunderland Parish Church. The three original settlements of Wearmouth had begun to combine, driven by the port of Sunderland as well as the salt panning and the ship building along the banks of the Wear. At this time Sunderland was also known as Sunderland near the Sea.

1723 - The Wear Commissioners built a pier on the south bank of the Wear

1796 – The Wearmouth Bridge was built

1798 – The first time a steam engine was used to power rope making equipment in Sunderland

1801 - At the time of the First Census, Sunderland had a population of 12,412

1824 – Gas was first used to light the streets

1831 – Cholera broke out. Sunderland was the first British town to be struck with the Indian Cholera epidemic.

1835 – Borough of Sunderland created
 - The first colliery at Monkwearmouth opened

1837 – The first modern police force in Sunderland was created

1844 – The Penshaw Monument was erected

1846 – Sunderland Water company was formed

1850s – The port of Sunderland expanded with the construction of the Hudson Dock

1855 – The Theatre Royal was built

1857 - Mowbray Park opened

1879  – Sunderland Museum, Library and Art Gallery opened
 – Sunderland station opened
 -  Horse drawn trams began running

1880s – Vaux Breweries were established in the town centre and for 110 years were a major employer. It closed in 1999 following a series of consolidations in the British Brewing Industry.
 - Roker Park opened

1890 – The Town Hall was built

1895 – Sunderland gained an electricity supply

1897 – Monkweamouth officially became a part of Sunderland

1901  – Sunderland had a population of 146,000
 -  Sunderland Technical College opened

1907  – Sunderland Empire Theatre opened
 -  The Bede Memorial opened

1910  - Queen Alexandra Bridge was built which connected the areas of Pallion and Southwick

1928 – The boundaries of the borough were extended to include Fulwell and Southwick

1929 – The General Hospital opened

1934 -  The Deep Water Quay was built

1939 – 1945 – During World War 2, 267 people were killed in Sunderland

1967 – The boundaries of Sunderland were extended to include Ryhope, Silksworth, Herrington, South Hylton and Castletown

1969 – Sunderland Polytechnic was founded

1970 – New town hall and civic centre was built

1973 – New police station was built

1973 – Monkwearmouth Station Museum opened

1974  - Under the Local Government Act of 1972, the county borough was abolished and its area combined with that of other districts to form the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear.
 -  North East Aircraft Museum was founded

1978 – A new general hospital opened

1988 - Final shipyard closed in Sunderland
 -  The Bridges Shopping Centre opened

1989 – The Seaburn Sports Centre opened

1992 -  Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear was granted city status.

1992 - Sunderland Polytechnic became the University of Sunderland

1995 – The Sunderland City Library and Arts Centre opened

1997 – The Stadium of Light opened

1998 – The National Glass Centre opened

2004 – The city adopted St Benedict Biscop as its patron saint
 - In November the Cineworld Multiplex opened

2008 – The Sunderland aquatic centre opened.

With the best of intention all of the above information is true, correct and given in good faith, however, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the above.

Equally we recommend that should you need or want to find out more you should conduct more detailed independant research.