EXHIBIT 99.1

Southern National Bancorp of Virginia Inc. Reports Earnings Of $1.3 Million for the Third Quarter and $3.7 Million for the First Nine Months of 2011

MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 27, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southern National Bancorp of Virginia Inc. (Nasdaq:SONA), the holding company for Sonabank, announced today that net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 was $1.3 million and $3.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to $1.1 million and $3.2 million during the third quarter and the first nine months of 2010. Our loan pipeline was strong at the end of the third quarter, and we expect to see loan growth as the loans in the pipeline close.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $6.9 million in the quarter ended September 30, 2011, up from $6.1 million during the same period last year. Sonabank's net interest margin was 5.04% in the third quarter, up from 4.38% in the third quarter of 2010.

Net interest income was $19.3 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to $18.8 million during the same period in the prior year. Average loans during the first nine months of 2011 were $468.4 million compared to $462.5 million during the same period last year. The Greater Atlantic Bank loan discount accretion contributed $1.5 million to net interest income during the first nine months of 2011, compared to $2.1 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2010.

Noninterest Income

During the third quarter of 2011 Sonabank had noninterest income of $366 thousand compared to a noninterest loss of $50 thousand during the third quarter of 2010. The third quarter of 2010 loss was primarily attributable to a loss of $460 thousand on the expedited sale of the commercial real estate property we foreclosed on in the second quarter of 2010.

Noninterest income increased to $1.7 million during the first nine months of 2011 from $1.0 million during the first nine months of 2010. The increase was largely attributable to an $800 thousand insurance benefit resulting from the death of an officer covered by bank-owned life insurance in the second quarter of 2011. This was partially offset by a decrease of $171 thousand in fees on letters of credit related to a short-term letter of credit which expired in June 2010.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expenses were $3.8 million and $10.7 million during the third quarter and the first nine months of 2011, respectively, compared to $3.4 million and $11.4 million during the same periods in 2010. During the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011, there was accretion of the FDIC indemnification asset of $140 thousand and $490 thousand, respectively. During the third quarter of 2010 the accretion was $193 thousand, and during the nine months ended September 30, 2010, the accretion was more than offset by recoveries from the FDIC which reduced the indemnification asset. Legal expense increased by $143 thousand and $235 thousand for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to the same periods last year. The efficiency ratio was 52.50% during the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to 56.39% during the same period the prior year.

Loan Portfolio

The composition of Sonabank's loan portfolio consisted of the following at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:

Total loans were $476.9 million at September 30, 2011 compared to $459.4 million at December 31, 2010. The increase was the net of a $29.2 million increase in the non-covered portfolio partially offset by an $11.7 million decline in the covered portfolio resulting from payoffs and liquidations. At the end of the third quarter our pipeline was very strong. We expect to see loan growth as the loans in the pipeline close.

Net charge-offs during the third quarter were $1.5 million and $4.7 million for the first nine months of 2011. Third quarter charge-offs related primarily to a group credit comprised of commercial and industrial ("C&I") loans previously on non-accrual as well as a farm loan, both written down to current appraised values.

Non-covered nonperforming loans and other real estate owned (not including loans covered by SBA guarantees) increased from $12.1 million at December 31, 2010 to $15.0 million at September 30, 2011. The increase of $2.9 million was the net of increases in nonperforming assets related primarily to two additional properties totaling $6.8 million (one collateralizes a nonaccrual loan and the other is in other real estate owned) less repayments of $1.9 million and charge-offs of $3.8 million. 

The non-accrual component of non-covered nonperforming assets (excluding loans guaranteed by the SBA) was $8.2 million at December 31, 2010 compared to $2.5 million at September 30, 2011.

As of September 30, 2011 non-covered other real estate owned ("OREO") was comprised of the previously reported Culpeper property in the amount of $2.8 million, the Kluge properties, an estate in Charlottesville and two small commercial properties in Charlottesville. All of the properties are being actively marketed, but we have found little serious interest. Non-covered OREO at September 30, 2011 was $12.5 million compared to $3.9 million at December 31, 2010.

The allowance for loan losses was 1.54% of non-covered loans on September 30, 2011 compared to 1.52% as of December 31, 2010. Sonabank has an internal loan review and a loan committee, both of which provide on-going monitoring to identify and address issues with problem loans. The loan loss provision is determined after consideration of all known relevant internal and external factors affecting loan collectability to maintain the allowance for loan and lease losses at a level necessary to absorb estimated credit losses.  The provision for loan losses was $1.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 compared to $1.0 million for the third quarter of 2010. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the provision for loan losses was $5.1 million compared to $3.8 million for the same period last year. 

Securities Portfolio

Investment securities, available for sale and held to maturity, were $48.8 million at September 30, 2011 and $56.0 million at December 31, 2010.

At September 30, 2011 Sonabank owned pooled trust preferred securities as follows:

Each of these securities has been evaluated for other than temporary impairment. In performing a detailed cash flow analysis of each security, Sonabank works with independent third parties to estimate expected cash flows and assist with the evaluation of other than temporary impairment. The cash flow analyses performed included the following assumptions:

• .5% of the remaining performing collateral will default or defer per annum.
• Recoveries ranging from 25% to 47% with a two year lag on all defaults and deferrals.
• No prepayments for 10 years and then 1% per annum for the remaining life of the security. 
• Additionally banks with assets over $15 billion will no longer be allowed to count down streamed trust preferred proceeds as Tier 1 capital (although it will still be counted as Tier 2 capital). That will incent the large banks to prepay their trust preferred securities if they can or if it is economically desirable. As a consequence we have projected in all of our pools that 25% of the collateral issued by banks with assets over $15 billion will prepay in 2013.
• Our securities have been modeled using the above assumptions by independent third parties using the forward LIBOR curve to discount projected cash flows to present values.

These assumptions resulted in OTTI charges related to credit on one of the trust preferred securities in the amount of $43 thousand during the quarter ended September 30, 2011, compared to no OTTI charges related to credit on the trust preferred securities for the quarter ended September 30, 2010.

We also own $1.0 million of SARM 2005-22 1A2. This residential collateralized mortgage obligation was originally rated AAA by Standard and Poors. After a series of downgrades, this security has been other than temporarily impaired in past reporting periods. For the third quarter of 2011 and based on our review of the trustee report, shock analysis and current information regarding delinquencies, nonperforming loans and credit support it has been determined that no OTTI charge for credit was required for the quarter ended September 30, 2011. The assumptions used in the analysis included a 4.6% prepayment speed, 13% default rate, a 48% loss severity and an accounting yield of 2.53%. We recorded OTTI charges for credit on this security of $127 thousand in the third quarter of 2010.

Deposits

Total deposits were $408.0 million at September 30, 2011 compared to $431.0 million at December 31, 2010. Certificates of deposit increased $7.6 million during the first nine months of 2011. This was offset by a decrease in money market accounts of $29.1 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2011. We had paid rates in excess of market on large money market accounts for former Greater Atlantic Bank customers to retain them during 2010, and as of the beginning of 2011, we reduced those rates. Brokered certificates of deposit have decreased from $27.0 million at December 31, 2010, to $7.0 million as of September 30, 2011. Noninterest-bearing deposits were $31.8 million at September 30, 2011 and $34.5 million at December 31, 2010.

Stockholders' Equity

Total stockholders' equity increased from $99.1 million as of December 31, 2010 to $103.1 million at September 30, 2011 as a result of the retention of earnings. Our Tier 1 Risk Based Capital Ratios were 20.62% and 19.86% for Southern National Bancorp of Virginia, Inc. and Sonabank, respectively, as of September 30, 2011.

Southern National Bancorp of Virginia, Inc. is a bank holding company with assets of $605.4 million at September 30, 2011. Sonabank provides a range of financial services to individuals and small and medium sized businesses. Sonabank has 13 branches in Virginia, located in Fairfax County (Reston, McLean and Fairfax), in Charlottesville, Warrenton (2), Middleburg, Leesburg (2), South Riding, Front Royal, New Market and Clifton Forge, and one branch in Rockville, Maryland. With the branch in Midlothian noted below Sonabank now has a total of 15 branches.

On October 3, 2011, Southern National Bancorp of Virginia, Inc. issued a press release announcing the completion of the assumption of the $46 million in deposits of the Midlothian branch office of the Bank of Hampton Roads. The new office is up and running under the Sonabank banner, and a Sonabank loan officer previously located in the Richmond area has moved into an office in the branch.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to future events or the future performance of Southern National Bancorp of Virginia, Inc. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance or results. These forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the respective management of Southern National Bancorp and are inherently subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond their respective control. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change. Actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results discussed or implied in these forward-looking statements because of numerous possible uncertainties. Words like "may," "plan," "contemplate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "continue," "expect," "project," "predict," "estimate," "could," "should," "would," "will," and similar expressions should be considered as identifying forward-looking statements, although other phrasing may be used. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and may not be realized due to a variety of factors. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are discussed in the reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) filed by Southern National Bancorp. These factors should be considered, and undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements. No obligation is undertaken by Southern National Bancorp to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the issuance of this press release.

CONTACT:  R. Roderick Porter, President
          Phone: 202-464-1130 ext. 2406
          Fax: 202-464-1134
          Southern National Bancorp of Virginia Inc.
          Website: www.sonabank.com