Of all the
Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Cummer is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in a small valley. The surname Cummer is derived from the Old English word
cumb, which means
valley. The surname Cummer belongs to the large class of
Anglo-Saxon topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.
Early Origins of the Cummer family
The surname Cummer was first found in
Sussex where they held a
family seat from very ancient times.
Early History of the Cummer family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cummer research.
Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1296, 1575, 1653, 1631, 1645, 1645, 1699 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Cummer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cummer Spelling Variations
The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few
hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Cummer has been spelled many different ways, including Comber, Comer, Commber, Commer, Combers, Commers and others.
Early Notables of the Cummer family (pre 1700)
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cummer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cummer family to Ireland
Some of the Cummer family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cummer family to the New World and Oceana
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Cummers to arrive in North America:
Cummer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Friederich Jacob Cummer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Cummer (post 1700)
- Wellington W. Cummer, American politician, Mayor of Cadillac, Michigan, 1888-89 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Russell E. Cummer, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 7th District, 1964 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Jacob Cummer (b. 1823), American politician, Mayor of Cadillac, Michigan, 1878-79 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Cummer Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Sapiens dominabitur astris
Motto Translation: A wise man can rule the stars.