| {{ad}} |
|
|
|
| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The name Sommerfart is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the small English town of Somerford found in the county of Wiltshire.
The surname Sommerfart was first found in Wiltshire where there is a Great Somerford and Little Somerford. Both date back to 937 when they were listed simply as Sumerford. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the village was listed as Sumreford. The placename literally means "ford usable in the summer," from the Old English sumor + ford. 1 Somerford Keynes is located in Gloucestershire and that locale dates back further to 685 when it was listed as Sumerford.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sommerfart research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sommerfart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Sommerfart were recorded, including Somerford, Somerfield and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Sommerfart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Sommerfart family emigrate to North America: Geoffrey Somerford who settled in Virginia in 1654.