Sumerton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins and Etymology of Sumerton

The surname Sumerton was first found in Norfolk where the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Somerton held by William de Noyers, a Norman Baron who held 33 manors from the King and who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. William de Noyers was descended from the Counts of Nevers in Normandy. 1

More recently, Somerton is a parish in Oxfordshire, a market-town and parish in Somerset and a parish in Suffolk. East and West Somerton are still parishes in Norfolk.

As one would expect, the place names literally mean "farmstead used in summer," from the Old English words "sumor" + "tun." 2

Some of the parishes date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where they were listed as: Somertune 3; Sumertone (Oxfordshire); and Summertone (Somerset.) And the Somerset parish dates back further to Saxon times when it was listed as Sumortun (901-924.) 2

It is generally thought that the first record of the family was Lawrence Somerton, Somercote or Swinercote (fl. 1254), and English Canonist, born in the south of England. He was brother or kinsman of Cardinal Robert Somercote (died 1241), and became, like him, subdeacon to the pope. 4

Early History of the Sumerton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sumerton research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1177 and 1230 are included under the topic Early Sumerton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sumerton Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Somerton, Summerton, Somerton, Sumerton, Sumorton and many more.

Early Notables of the Sumerton family

More information is included under the topic Early Sumerton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sumerton family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Somerton, who settled in Virginia in 1635; John Summerton, who arrived in Maryland in 1732; Hester Summerton, who arrived in Virginia in 1746; as well as William Sommerton, who was on record in the census of Ontario, Canada of 1871..

Sources +

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)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Page, William (ed), A History of the County of Norfolk. London: Victoria County History, 1906. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print