The Sommers surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,706 people carried this name — #3,063 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 25,200 people counted. That is up 8% from 10,886 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sommers surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Summer’.

An early record he cites: John Somer, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Summer, Summers, Somers, Sommers and Sommer.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 727 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 23 people named Sommers.

Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often French Polynesia.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

French Polynesia 9
Nord 6
Wallis and Futuna 4
Corrèze 2
Eure-et-Loir 1
Pas-de-Calais 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Sommers was counted together with Summers: 177 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 977 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Summers, Somer, Somers, Sommer, Sommers, Sumers, Summer, Summere, Summors. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maryland 35
Connecticut 29
Pennsylvania 29
Virginia 23
North Carolina 22
South Carolina 18
New York 11
Vermont 5
Maine 2
Massachusetts 2
New Hampshire 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 264 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Sommers in American newspapers,
1895–1921.

Newspaper page from Great Falls Tribune carrying the name Sommers
Great Falls Tribune 1921-04-20
Newspaper page from The Mirror And Farmer carrying the name Sommers
The Mirror And Farmer 1900-11-01
Newspaper page from The Weekly Thibodaux Sentinel And Journal Of The 8th Senatorial District carrying the name Sommers
The Weekly Thibodaux Sentinel And Journal Of The 8th Senatorial District 1895-01-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Sommers in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

13,563 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sommers. The most, 5,429, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Western Australia, at 7.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Western Australia 8,785
Victoria 2,205
New South Wales 1,337
Queensland 680
South Australia 431
Tasmania 103
ACT (Canberra) 9
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sommers.

Who carried it

People named Sommers,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Will Sommers
    Will Sommers d. 1560 · jester
  • Gilles Sommers 1531–1574
  • Charles Christian Sommers 1840–1916
  • Andy Sommers 1865–1908 · baseball player
  • Frank Sommers 1886–1942 · American football player
  • Thyra Letitia Alexandra Sommers 1886–1968

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sommers,
in the records of 10 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,247 records

1,247 records of the Sommers name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 444
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 358
  • Other U.S. records 445
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Russell W. Sommers

    Born 1911 in Nebraska. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Crook; secondary school teacher. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, Omaha, Nebraska.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Larry Eugene Sommers

    Born 1948; from Aptos, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of wounds 1968 in Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Heinr Sommers

    Arrived at Baltimore in 1887 aboard the Main from Bremen, aged 22; farmer. From Winneconne, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,247 records for Sommers in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands1,573 records

1,573 records of the Sommers name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 771
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 672
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 130
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Femmetje Sommers

    Married in 1823 in Haarlem; domestic servant. Died 1872 in Haarlem, aged 71.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Joannes Theodorus Sommers

    Married in 1821 in Herwen en Aerdt; tailor. Died 1867 in Herwen en Aerdt, aged 78.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Hendrik Sommers

    Born 1858 in Zegwaart. Died 1858 in Zegwaart.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,573 records for Sommers in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia182 records

182 records of the Sommers name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 111
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 32
  • Other Australian records 39
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Annie Sommers

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Roxburgh Castle, as an infant; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Sommers

    Died 1885 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 75.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Donald Stuart Sommers

    Retired inquiry agent of Phillip Island, Victoria; died 1980.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 182 records for Sommers in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada44 records

44 records of the Sommers name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 29
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 6
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Sommers

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the Hector, landing at Quebec, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mike Sommers

    Buried in 1980 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 57.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Albert Sommers

    Died 1950 in Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 44 records for Sommers in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom14 records

14 records of the Sommers name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Stirling Council burial records 3
  • Other British records 2
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Henry Sommers

    Born 1873 at Stotfield; engineer on drifter. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Sommers

    Buried in 1820 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 32.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Sommers

    Army Service Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Sommers in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Germany12 records

12 records of the Sommers name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Josef Sommers

    From Anholt. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 24 July 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Sommers

    From Hanover. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 18 June 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Sommers

    From Dilkrath, Kempen. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 9 August 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Sommers in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France6 records

6 records of the Sommers name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gilberte Marie Sommers

    Born 1911 in Lomme; died 2001 in Lomme (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roger Emile Alcide Sommers

    Born 1923 in Chartres (Eure-et-Loir); died 1996 in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Sommers in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium3 records

3 records of the Sommers name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Marie Theresia Sommers

    Married in 1865 in Pollare.

    Open Archives, Erfgoedcel Denderland (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Rosalie Sommers

    Born 1837 in Lommel.

    Open Archives, Stad Lommel - Archiefdienst (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Sommers in Belgium.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Sommers name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Christian Sommers

    Died 1916, aged 76; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Sommers in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Switzerland1 record

1 record of the Sommers name in Switzerland Zürich marriage records, 16th–18th centuries
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Rosalia Elisabeth Sommers

    Married in 1786 in Meilen, canton of Zürich.

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sommers.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sommers is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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