NameCensus.

UK surname

Sum

A surname derived from the root word meaning "summer" or "summer season."

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Sum surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 211, ranked #18,904, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Central Bedfordshire and Havant.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sum is 215 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1010.5%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

211

2016, ranked #18,904

Peak year

2012

215 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sum had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016, ranked #18,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 19 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Sum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sum surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sum 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 12 #31,134
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 157 #21,146
2001 modern 155 #21,047
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 181 #19,277
2004 modern 184 #19,183
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 190 #19,246
2009 modern 200 #19,028
2010 modern 206 #19,066
2011 modern 213 #18,502
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 201 #19,494
2016 modern 211 #18,904

Geography

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Where Sums are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Central Bedfordshire, Havant, Westminster and Fareham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 001 North West Leicestershire
2 Central Bedfordshire 011 Central Bedfordshire
3 Havant 014 Havant
4 Westminster 009 Westminster
5 Fareham 002 Fareham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sum

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sum

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sum, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Sum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sum is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sum is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sum falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sum is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Sum

The surname SUM has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "summ," which meant a load or burden. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who carried or transported goods for a living.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SUM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a person named Willelmus Summe. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a certain Robert Somme is listed.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name SUM was predominantly found in the counties of Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Hertfordshire. There are records of places such as Summerfield near Oxford and Summerhill in Kent, which may have contributed to the formation of the surname.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname SUM was Sir John Sum, a member of the gentry from Gloucestershire, who lived from around 1420 to 1490. Another prominent individual was William Sum, a merchant from Bristol who was active in the early 16th century.

The surname SUM also has a connection to the Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. While the name itself is not explicitly mentioned, there are references to places like Summerleyton in Suffolk and Somersby in Lincolnshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname SUM throughout history include Richard Sum, a scholar and theologian from Oxford who lived in the late 16th century. In the 17th century, there was Thomas Sum, a prominent clergyman and author from Warwickshire, who was born in 1614 and died in 1685.

During the 18th century, the SUM surname gained further recognition with individuals like James Sum, a successful merchant from Bristol who lived from 1725 to 1798. In the 19th century, Sir John Sum, a British military officer and politician, was born in 1815 and served as a Member of Parliament for many years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sum 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. Lancashire leads with 7 Sums recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7 6.06x
Glamorgan 1 5.90x
Middlesex 1 1.03x
Staffordshire 1 3.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newton in Lancashire leads with 4 Sums recorded in 1881 and an index of 449.44x.

Place Total Index
Newton 4 449.44x
Gorton 3 275.23x
Hammersmith London 1 41.67x
Handsworth 1 123.46x
Swansea Town 1 71.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Hellen 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 1
James 1
John 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Sum households.

FAQ

Sum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Sum surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016. That gives Sum a modern rank of #18,904.

What does the Sum surname mean?

A surname derived from the root word meaning "summer" or "summer season."

What does the Sum map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sum 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.