NameCensus.

UK surname

Sumners

A variant spelling of the English occupational surname "Summers" meaning a seasonal fieldworker.

In the 1881 census there were 277 people recorded with the Sumners surname, ranking it #10,283 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 193, ranked #20,039, down from #10,283 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Godalming, Stonehouse and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, West Oxfordshire and West Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sumners is 462 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.3%.

1881 census count

277

Ranked #10,283

Modern count

193

2016, ranked #20,039

Peak year

1901

462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sumners had 277 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,283 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016, ranked #20,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 462 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sumners surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sumners surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sumners 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 217 #9,784
1861 historical 116 #18,751
1881 historical 277 #10,283
1891 historical 289 #11,425
1901 historical 462 #8,539
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 184 #18,580
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 191 #18,752
2001 modern 201 #17,885
2002 modern 210 #17,753
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 183 #19,251
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 171 #20,387
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 175 #21,035
2012 modern 181 #20,531
2013 modern 191 #20,124
2014 modern 200 #19,713
2015 modern 197 #19,774
2016 modern 193 #20,039

Geography

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Where Sumners' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Godalming, Stonehouse, Liverpool, West Derby and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, West Oxfordshire, West Lindsey, Middlesbrough and Reading. 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 Godalming Surrey
2 Stonehouse Lanark
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 009 Stratford-on-Avon
2 West Oxfordshire 001 West Oxfordshire
3 West Lindsey 011 West Lindsey
4 Middlesbrough 009 Middlesbrough
5 Reading 004 Reading

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sumners

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sumners

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Sumners surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sumners household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Sumners is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sumners is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sumners falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sumners 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 Sumners, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sumners

The surname SUMNERS is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sumnor," which referred to a person who was responsible for summoning people to ecclesiastical courts. The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire in the southwest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SUMNERS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Wiltshire from 1273, where a John le Sumnur is mentioned. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, listing a William Somnour as a taxpayer.

In the 14th century, the name SUMNERS was sometimes spelled as "Sumnor," "Somnour," or "Sompnour," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time. Some of these variations can be found in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, who included a character named "Somnour" in his famous Canterbury Tales.

One notable historical figure with the surname SUMNERS was William Sumners (c. 1510 – 1569), who was an English politician and Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was Sir George Sumners (1588 – 1650), an English judge and Member of Parliament for Truro during the English Civil War. He served as a Justice of the Common Pleas and was highly regarded for his legal expertise.

In the 18th century, John Sumners (1704 – 1777) was a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Exchange and the Founder's Court at Christ's Hospital.

During the 19th century, William Sumners (1791 – 1872) was a British politician and Member of Parliament for Woodstock. He was also a respected landowner and played a significant role in local affairs.

One of the more recent examples is Sir William Sumners (1865 – 1949), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Governor of Sierra Leone from 1920 to 1928.

The surname SUMNERS has been found in various historical records and documents, reflecting its long-standing presence in English society. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the ecclesiastical courts of southwest England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sumners families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sumners 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 78 Sumners' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 78 2.51x
Middlesex 31 1.18x
Surrey 25 1.96x
Nottinghamshire 18 5.09x
Yorkshire 17 0.65x
Sussex 11 2.49x
Durham 10 1.28x
Cheshire 9 1.55x
Warwickshire 9 1.36x
Worcestershire 8 2.33x
Hampshire 7 1.30x
Staffordshire 7 0.79x
Lincolnshire 6 1.43x
Midlothian 6 1.71x
Brecknockshire 5 9.53x
Kent 5 0.56x
Somerset 5 1.18x
Leicestershire 4 1.37x
Gloucestershire 2 0.39x
Derbyshire 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Northumberland 1 0.26x
Shropshire 1 0.44x
Wiltshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 19 Sumners' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.05x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 19 10.05x
Godalming 16 198.76x
Rotherfield 11 282.05x
Walton On Hill 11 65.20x
West Derby 10 10.98x
Norwell 9 2432.43x
Bulwell 8 104.03x
Shipston On Stour 8 512.82x
Fulham London 7 18.40x
Hyde 7 40.96x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 4.24x
Islington London 6 2.36x
Portsea 6 5.69x
Sheffield 6 7.25x
Toxteth Park 6 5.69x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 7.35x
Boston 5 39.28x
Brecknock St David 5 354.61x
Burslem 5 19.71x
Edgeworth 5 299.40x
Hartlepool 5 45.09x
Kirkdale 5 9.55x
St Martin In Fields 5 31.83x
St Pancras London 5 2.37x
Aston 4 2.20x
Blackrod 4 103.36x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 11.83x
Hugglescote 4 93.46x
Ince In Makerfield 4 27.61x
Rowington 4 533.33x
Bath St James 3 68.03x
Kensington London 3 2.06x
Lambeth 3 1.31x
Nether Hallam 3 8.53x
Paddington London 3 3.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 3.78x
Frimley 2 54.95x
Great Bolton 2 4.85x
Maidstone 2 7.50x
North Meols 2 6.56x
Oldbury On Hill 2 571.43x
Scarborough 2 8.46x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.79x
Walton Le Dale 2 23.89x
Warrington 2 5.42x
Aldershot 1 5.55x
Bradford On Avon 1 13.46x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.83x
Carlton 1 24.75x
Clevedon 1 22.78x
Cobham 1 47.62x
Congresbury 1 93.46x
Croughton 1 3333.33x
Dalton In Huddersfield 1 17.18x
Eastham 1 128.21x
Farnhill 1 200.00x
Foggathorpe 1 1000.00x
Formby 1 28.33x
Govan 1 0.48x
Great Grimsby 1 3.76x
Greenwich 1 2.39x
Hadnall 1 208.33x
Leeds 1 0.68x
Luddington 1 1111.11x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.41x
Newington 1 1.03x
Ogle 1 1000.00x
Plymouth Charles The 1 4.16x
Saltwood 1 161.29x
St Lawrence 1 16.23x
St Marylebone London 1 0.71x
Tideswell 1 56.18x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.19x
Westoe 1 2.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 9
Jane 7
Margaret 6
Charlotte 5
Eliza 5
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Lily 2
Matilda 2
Blanch 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Cathern 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Evia 1
Fanny 1
Flawrance 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Harriott 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Hetta 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lillah 1
Lucy 1
Luisa 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sumners surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sumners surname in 1881?

In 1881, 277 people were recorded with the Sumners surname. That placed it at #10,283 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sumners surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016. That gives Sumners a modern rank of #20,039.

What does the Sumners surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English occupational surname "Summers" meaning a seasonal fieldworker.

What does the Sumners map show?

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