<ARTICLE>                     9
<LEGEND>
                    SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                       PART III - FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE
                           ARTICLE 9 OF REGULATION S-X
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-1997
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