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Sommer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Sommer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Sommer family. Nickname surnames, such as Sommer, were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The family name Sommer is a name for a person born in the summer. The name comes from the Old German word "sumar," which means "summer."

Early Origins of the Sommer family

The surname Sommer was first found in the region of Lower Franconia, where the name acquired a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. They later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, some in foreign countries. They were always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society.

Early History of the Sommer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sommer research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1800, 1814, 1832 and 1846 are included under the topic Early Sommer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sommer Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Sommer include Sommer, Sommers, Summers, Somer, Somers and others.

Early Notables of the Sommer family

Prominent among members of the name Sommer in this period include

Franz Joseph von Sommer (d. 1832), who published an innovative work on military training and took part in the 1814 campaign in France

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. 1 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. 2

Sommer migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Sommer or a variant listed above:

Sommer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Jacob Sommer, who landed in New York in 1709 3
Adam Sommer, who settled in Philadelphia in 1728
Michael Sommer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 3
Hans Henrich Sommer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 3
Hans Adam Sommer, aged 27, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 3
... (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 3
Wilhehnina Sommer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1802 3
Joh Gerh Herm Sommer, who landed in America in 1834 3
Joh Heinr Sommer, who arrived in America in 1836 3
Rosina Sommer, aged 43, who arrived in America in 1839 3
... (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 3

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 4
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 4
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 4
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 4

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 5
Peter R. Sommer (b. 1938), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Malta, 1987 5
Geb Sommer, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from South Carolina 2nd District, 1988, 1990, 1992 5
Frank H. Sommer (b. 1872), American politician, Delegate to New Jersey State Constitutional Convention from Essex County, 1947 5
Edwin J. Sommer, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1952 (alternate), 1956, 1960 5
Chrissy Sommer, American Republican politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives 106th District; Elected 2012 5
Brett M. Sommer, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 29th District, 2000 5
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"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