Sommers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Sommers family. Nickname surnames, such as Sommers, 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 Sommers 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 Sommers family

The surname Sommers 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 Sommers family

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

Sommers Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Sommers include Sommer, Sommers, Summers, Somer, Somers and others.

Early Notables of the Sommers family

Prominent among members of the name Sommers 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; Carl, his oldest son, was in the service of...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sommers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sommers Ranking

In the United States, the name Sommers is the 2,907^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

Sommers migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Sommers or a variant listed above:

Sommers Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Sommers, who arrived in Maryland in 1680 2

Sommers Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Margaret Sommers, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 2
George Sommers, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 2
Henry Sommers, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 2

Sommers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Sommers, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 2
Charles G Sommers, who landed in New York in 1825 2
Christian Sommers, aged 29, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 2
W Sommers, who landed in America in 1845 2
Joh H Sommers, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1848 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sommers Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Sylvan Sommers, who arrived in Mississippi in 1902 2

Sommers migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sommers Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Denis Sommers, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"

Contemporary Notables of the name Sommers (post 1700) +

Helen Sommers (1932-2017), American politician, Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 36th district (1972-2009)
Sergeant Major Archibald Sommers, the first member of the United States Marine Corps to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major in 1801
Rudolph Sommers (1886-1949), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Jack William Sommers (1917-1975), American NFL football offensive lineman
Joseph Andrews Sommers (1866-1908), American former professional baseball catcher in the National League from 1887-1890
Dennis James Sommers (b. 1940), retired American Major League Baseball catcher, manager and coach
Bruce Dale Sommers (1943-2012), American radio personality, known by his nickname "The Truckin' Bozo"
Christina Hoff Sommers (b. 1950), American author and former philosophy professor
Stephen Sommers (b. 1962), American screenwriter and film director, best known for The Mummy and its sequel, The Mummy Returns
Josef Sommers (b. 1934), American film actor
... (Another 11 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/
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)