NameCensus.

UK surname

Somerfield

A locational surname referring to someone from a field in summer.

In the 1881 census there were 323 people recorded with the Somerfield surname, ranking it #9,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 455, ranked #10,716, down from #9,240 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barrowby, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Somerfield is 463 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.9%.

1881 census count

323

Ranked #9,240

Modern count

455

2016, ranked #10,716

Peak year

2015

463 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Somerfield had 323 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,240 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016, ranked #10,716.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 457 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Somerfield surname distribution map

The map shows where the Somerfield surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Somerfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Somerfield over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 325 #7,157
1861 historical 336 #7,589
1881 historical 323 #9,240
1891 historical 341 #10,041
1901 historical 457 #8,610
1911 historical 450 #8,507
1997 modern 444 #10,172
1998 modern 460 #10,232
1999 modern 454 #10,380
2000 modern 451 #10,412
2001 modern 443 #10,371
2002 modern 461 #10,228
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 431 #10,680
2005 modern 422 #10,739
2006 modern 423 #10,765
2007 modern 411 #11,144
2008 modern 403 #11,398
2009 modern 411 #11,480
2010 modern 423 #11,470
2011 modern 417 #11,462
2012 modern 422 #11,223
2013 modern 446 #10,911
2014 modern 455 #10,804
2015 modern 463 #10,602
2016 modern 455 #10,716

Geography

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Where Somerfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barrowby, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Marylebone, Sheffield and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire and Walsall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Barrowby Lincolnshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 004 Carmarthenshire
2 Walsall 019 Walsall
3 Walsall 006 Walsall
4 Walsall 008 Walsall
5 Walsall 009 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Somerfield

These lists show first names that appear often with the Somerfield surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Somerfield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Somerfield, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Somerfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Somerfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Somerfield is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Somerfield is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Somerfield falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Somerfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Somerfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Somerfield

The surname Somerfield originated in England, emerging during the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "sumor," meaning summer, and "feld," meaning field or open land. This suggests the name may have referred to someone who lived or worked near a summer pasture or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1196, where it is spelled "Sumerefeld." This document lists landowners and taxpayers, indicating that the Somerfield name was well-established in the region by this time.

The Somerfield surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings commissioned by William the Conquer. However, the name is spelled differently, appearing as "Summerfeld" in reference to a place in Somerset.

In the 14th century, the name took on various spellings, including "Somerfeld," "Summerfeld," and "Sommerfield." This variation was common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that era.

Notable individuals with the Somerfield surname include:

1. Sir Thomas Somerfield (1555-1631), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire. 2. John Somerfield (1638-1715), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, known for his philanthropic endeavors. 3. Elizabeth Somerfield (1767-1842), an influential writer and advocate for women's education in the early 19th century. 4. William Somerfield (1802-1876), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several prominent buildings in London. 5. Robert Somerfield (1879-1958), a respected military officer who served in World War I and later became a successful businessman.

It is worth noting that the Somerfield name can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Somerfield in Wiltshire and Somerfield Woodhouse in Hampshire. These locations likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Somerfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Somerfield surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 134 Somerfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.52x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 134 12.52x
Middlesex 30 0.95x
Warwickshire 26 3.25x
Lincolnshire 19 3.75x
Leicestershire 15 4.27x
Somerset 15 2.94x
Surrey 13 0.84x
Yorkshire 12 0.38x
Derbyshire 10 2.01x
Worcestershire 9 2.17x
Devon 8 1.21x
Hampshire 7 1.08x
Lancashire 7 0.19x
Glamorgan 5 0.91x
Sussex 4 0.75x
Cheshire 3 0.43x
Essex 2 0.32x
Gloucestershire 2 0.32x
Huntingdonshire 2 3.18x
Northamptonshire 1 0.34x
Oxfordshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 111 Somerfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 200.80x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 111 200.80x
Aston 25 11.36x
Leicester St Margaret 14 16.33x
St Marylebone London 12 7.09x
Rushall 10 158.73x
Barrowby 9 1022.73x
Ropsley 8 1142.86x
Heeley 7 73.30x
Pilton 7 321.10x
South Stoneham 7 49.65x
Derby St Werburgh 6 20.94x
Swansea Town 5 11.05x
Worcester St Martin 5 89.45x
Alfreton 4 26.53x
Burton Extra 4 65.15x
Camberwell 4 1.98x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 35.09x
Hulme 4 5.09x
Islington London 4 1.30x
Newington 4 3.42x
Williton 4 233.92x
Wolverhampton 4 4.86x
Bishops Lydeard 3 230.77x
Nettlecombe 3 937.50x
Sheffield 3 3.00x
Shoreditch London 3 2.18x
St Decumans 3 612.24x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.45x
Bromsgrove 2 14.36x
Clifton 2 6.36x
Liverpool 2 0.88x
Macclesfield 2 6.43x
St George Hanover 2 4.83x
St Pancras London 2 0.78x
Sutton 2 17.89x
Yaxley 2 136.05x
Barnstaple 1 9.65x
Bermondsey 1 1.06x
Boston 1 6.50x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.62x
Burton Upon Trent 1 3.99x
Cheadle 1 19.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.67x
Colchester St Giles 1 16.18x
Croydon 1 1.17x
Earls Barton 1 39.37x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.56x
Finchley 1 8.23x
Frankley 1 625.00x
Hammersmith London 1 1.28x
Harborne 1 2.92x
Harrowby Grantham 1 277.78x
Hatherton 1 217.39x
Hayes 1 30.96x
Hornsey 1 2.49x
Knowle 1 60.98x
Leyton Low 1 7.86x
Othery 1 158.73x
Oxford St Thomas 1 10.94x
Penge 1 4.94x
Quorndon 1 50.76x
Ripple 1 128.21x
Sandbach 1 16.75x
Tettenhall 1 15.29x
Walcot 1 3.68x
Willesden 1 3.35x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Somerfield surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 19
Mary 17
Elizabeth 11
Ann 8
Emma 7
Jane 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 5
Rosa 5
Alice 4
Edith 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Charlotte 2
Elizth 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Susan 2
Alvina 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Deann 1
Diana 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Luisa 1
Margt.S. 1
Maud 1
Nelly 1
Polarnia 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Somerfield surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 32
George 13
John 13
James 10
Thomas 10
Henry 8
Charles 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Albert 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Ebenezer 2
F. 2
Isaac 2
Jabez 2
Jonah 2
Josiah 2
Alfd. 1
Amos 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Horatio 1
I. 1
Isacc 1
Isaiah 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Mathew 1
May 1
Sampson 1
Samson 1
Sydney 1
Willm. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Somerfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Somerfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 323 people were recorded with the Somerfield surname. That placed it at #9,240 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Somerfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016. That gives Somerfield a modern rank of #10,716.

What does the Somerfield surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a field in summer.

What does the Somerfield map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Somerfield bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.