Contents [hide]

Sommer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Sommer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

The history of the Sommer name began with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Summer, a personal name given to a child who was born in the summer. 1

Looking at the surname and many of its variants over the past couple of hundred years, one can only presume that this is the logical and only explanation for the surname's origin. However, let's explore some contrarian explanations. The name could have been derived from "De Someri, a baronial family. Ralph de Summeri of Normandy temp. John. From Sommeri, near Rouen. " 2

The name could have been derived from the "personal-name Sumor but there is no evidence from the use of such a person named in the Domesday Book or later." 3

This noted author continues "the surname is probably identical with the Scottish "Simmer." In Scots, somer is 'a sumpter,' [(packhorse, mule, beast of burden)]applied to men and horses alike." 3 We shall leave the reader with the perplexing conundrum.

Early Origins of the Sommer family

The surname Sommer was first found in Worcestershire they trace their ancestry to the manor of Whiteladies.

One of the earliest records of the family was John Somer, Semur, Somerarius (fl. 1380), "Minorite astronomer, belonged to the Franciscan house at Bridgewater, and was probably at Oxford in 1380. " 4

One of the more interesting family members was William Sommers (died 1560), who is said to have been Henry VIII's fool and a native of Shropshire and "at one time a servant in the household of Richard Fermorq of Easton Neston, Northamptonshire. Brought by his master to the court at Greenwich, 'on a holy day,' about 1525, the king is reported to have noticed favourably his witty sallies and to have installed him at once in the royal household as the court fool. According to tradition, Sommers was soon on very familiar terms with the king. He puzzled him with foolish riddles, and amused him by playing practical jokes on Cardinal Wolsey. " 4

Early History of the Sommer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sommer research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1440, 1554, 1560, 1603, 1610, 1651, 1690, 1697, 1716, 1759, 1791, 1824 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Sommer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sommer Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Sommer family name include Somers, Sommers, Summers, Sommer, Summer, Somerton, Sommerton, Sumpton, Sumption and many more.

Early Notables of the Sommer family

Distinguished members of the family include

Henry Somer (fl. 1440), Chancellor of the Exchequer, probably a relative of John Somer, Clerk of the Exchequer in the early years of Henry IV; and William 'Will' Sommers (or Somers) (died 1560), the b...
John Somers or Sommers (1651-1716), 1st Baron Somers of Evesham, was an English jurist and statesman in the Glorious Revolution, who became Lord High Chancellor in 1697

Sommer Ranking

In the United States, the name Sommer is the 4,105^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in France, the name Sommer is ranked the 5,524^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Sommer family to Ireland

Some of the Sommer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 136 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sommer migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Sommer surname or a spelling variation of the name include :

Sommer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Jacob Sommer, who landed in New York in 1709 7
Adam Sommer, who settled in Philadelphia in 1728
Michael Sommer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 7
Hans Henrich Sommer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 7
Hans Adam Sommer, aged 27, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sommer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Dieterson Sommer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 7
Wilhehnina Sommer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1802 7
Joh Gerh Herm Sommer, who landed in America in 1834 7
Joh Heinr Sommer, who arrived in America in 1836 7
Rosina Sommer, aged 43, who arrived in America in 1839 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sommer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alfred Sommer, who landed in Alabama in 1915 7

Sommer migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sommer Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Friedrich Sommer, who settled in Canada in 1783

Sommer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Sommer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Henry Sommer, (b. 1841), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 8
Mrs. Mina Sommer, (b. 1845), aged 22, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 8
Mr. Joseph Sommer, (b. 1864), aged 3, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 8
Captain Sommer, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mataura" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 16th November 1874 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Sommer (post 1700) +

Michael Sandor Sommer (1934-2022), American NFL football player from Washington, D.C.. (1958-1963)
Timothy Andrew Sommer, American musician, record producer
Richard Olen Sommer II (b. 1978), American actor best known for his portrayal of Harry Crane on the AMC series Mad Men
William R. Sommer, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Missouri, 1956 9
Peter R. Sommer (b. 1938), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Malta, 1987 9
Geb Sommer, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from South Carolina 2nd District, 1988, 1990, 1992 9
Frank H. Sommer (b. 1872), American politician, Delegate to New Jersey State Constitutional Convention from Essex County, 1947 9
Edwin J. Sommer, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1952 (alternate), 1956, 1960 9
Chrissy Sommer, American Republican politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives 106th District; Elected 2012 9
Brett M. Sommer, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 29th District, 2000 9
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html