UK surname
An English surname derived from the Old French term "somier" meaning a pack animal driver or carrier.
In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Sumers surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16, ranked #36,998, down from #17,935 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Gateshead and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sumers is 216 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 86.4%.
1881 census count
118
Ranked #17,935
Modern count
16
2016, ranked #36,998
Peak year
1851
216 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sumers surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sumers surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 216 | #9,818 |
| 1861 | historical | 131 | #17,052 |
| 1881 | historical | 118 | #17,935 |
| 1891 | historical | 82 | #26,494 |
| 1901 | historical | 38 | #29,914 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 12 | #36,785 |
| 1998 | modern | 13 | #36,679 |
| 1999 | modern | 14 | #36,595 |
| 2000 | modern | 9 | #37,119 |
| 2001 | modern | 8 | #37,124 |
| 2002 | modern | 10 | #36,902 |
| 2003 | modern | 7 | #37,397 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 13 | #36,833 |
| 2006 | modern | 16 | #36,601 |
| 2007 | modern | 14 | #36,886 |
| 2008 | modern | 12 | #37,143 |
| 2009 | modern | 11 | #37,336 |
| 2010 | modern | 14 | #37,124 |
| 2011 | modern | 12 | #37,287 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 17 | #36,857 |
| 2014 | modern | 16 | #36,974 |
| 2015 | modern | 16 | #36,978 |
| 2016 | modern | 16 | #36,998 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 2 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 3 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 4 | Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton | Somerset |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sumers surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sumers, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Sumers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sumers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Sumers is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sumers is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sumers, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Sumers is an English name with origins dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sumor," meaning summer. This indicates that the name likely referred to a person who was born or lived near a place that was particularly pleasant or productive during the summer months.
The earliest known recorded instance of the name Sumers can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a series of documents compiled during the reign of King Edward I. These rolls contained records of landowners and their properties throughout England. One entry mentions a "Robert le Sumers" from the county of Oxfordshire.
In the 14th century, the Sumers name appeared in several other historical records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 and the Poll Tax Returns of 1379. These documents suggest that the name was prevalent in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset.
One notable individual bearing the Sumers surname was Sir John Sumers, who lived in the late 15th century. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for the county of Somerset in 1472. Another notable figure was William Sumers, a merchant and alderman of the City of London in the early 16th century.
The Sumers name has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Sumers Court in Oxfordshire and Sumers Isles, which was an old spelling for the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the Cornish coast.
Other notable individuals with the Sumers surname include:
1. Robert Sumers (c. 1290-1355), a wealthy landowner in Gloucestershire. 2. Alice Sumers (c. 1410-1475), a philanthropist and benefactor of various religious institutions in Somerset. 3. Thomas Sumers (c. 1520-1585), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. 4. Elizabeth Sumers (c. 1650-1720), a renowned herbalist and author of "The English Physitian" in the late 17th century. 5. Richard Sumers (1735-1802), a noted architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath and Bristol during the Georgian era.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sumers surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 14 Sumers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.56x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset | 14 | 7.56x |
| Lancashire | 12 | 0.88x |
| Gloucestershire | 9 | 3.99x |
| Warwickshire | 9 | 3.10x |
| Worcestershire | 8 | 5.32x |
| Dorset | 7 | 9.27x |
| Durham | 7 | 2.04x |
| Lanarkshire | 7 | 1.88x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.53x |
| Leicestershire | 5 | 3.92x |
| Buckinghamshire | 4 | 5.75x |
| Kent | 4 | 1.02x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 0.35x |
| Caernarfonshire | 3 | 6.45x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.53x |
| Glamorgan | 2 | 1.00x |
| Stirlingshire | 2 | 4.71x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.94x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 0.77x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.42x |
| Dumfriesshire | 1 | 3.93x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.42x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.65x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.57x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.58x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.64x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 1.01x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.26x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.52x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mangotsfield in Gloucestershire leads with 9 Sumers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.00x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sumers surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 6 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Elizabeth | 3 |
| Emily | 3 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Esther | 2 |
| Harriett | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Anice | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Catrin | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizebeth | 1 |
| Elizth.Ellen | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Maliney | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Margret | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Pheobe | 1 |
| Phoebe | 1 |
| Rosa | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Sara | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
| Thursa | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Sumers surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Sumers households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 18 |
| Stone Merchant | 3 |
| Ag Labourer | 2 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Farm Servant (Indoor) | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| No Occupation | 2 |
| AB Seaman | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Agricultur Labourer | 1 |
| Annuentind | 1 |
| Brass Finisher | 1 |
| Bricklayers Laborer | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Cabinet Case Maker | 1 |
| Cane Worker | 1 |
| Carpenter Working From Home | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Chain Maker | 1 |
| Chocolate Cream Maker | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk (Lamp Trade) | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Cotton Porter | 1 |
| Drapers Assistant | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Gen Serv | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Groom (N D) | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| House Keeper (Dom) | 1 |
| Marine Store Dlr | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Ostler (8/1) | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Pottery Labourer Earth | 1 |
| Railway Laborer | 1 |
| Scholal | 1 |
| School | 1 |
| Servant (D) | 1 |
| Shop Assistant | 1 |
| Smith Coach | 1 |
| Stableman | 1 |
| Stone Mason | 1 |
| Stonemason | 1 |
| Stonemason Wife | 1 |
| Twine Hand | 1 |
| Upholstress | 1 |
| Warehouse Girl (Chocolate Maker) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Sumers surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 16 in 2016. That gives Sumers a modern rank of #36,998.
An English surname derived from the Old French term "somier" meaning a pack animal driver or carrier.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sumers bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.