Sumpner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Sumpner

What does the name Sumpner mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Sumpner comes from when its first bearer worked as a "summoner", a petty officer who cited and warned people to appear in court. The surname Sumpner is derived from the Anglo-French words somenour and sumenour, which in turn were derived from the Old French words somoneor and semoneor, which mean summoner.

Early Origins of the Sumpner family

The surname Sumpner was first found in Oxfordshire at Bicester where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say at the time of the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Sumpner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sumpner research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1598, 1635, 1669 and 1848 are included under the topic Early Sumpner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sumpner Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Sumpner include Sumner, Sumners and others.

Early Notables of the Sumpner family

Willaim Somner (1598-1669), an Anglo-Saxon scholar, baptised in the church of St. Margaret, Canterbury. His father held the office of registrary of the court of Canterbury, under Sir Nathaniel Brent, commissary. "After passing through the free school at Canterbury, he became clerk to his father, and...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sumpner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sumpner family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Sumpner or a variant listed above: Mary Sumner who settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630, along with Elizabeth and Henry; Mary Sumner settled in Virginia in 1653; A. Sumner settled in San Francisco, Cal. in 1850.

The Sumpner 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: In medio tutissimus ibis
Motto Translation: Thou wilt go safest in the middle.