The Summer surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 2,778 people carried this name — #11,355 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 106,400 people counted. That is down 12% from 3,157 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Summer 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 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 Argentina’s national register

At least 45 people named Summer live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Santa Fe.

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

Where they live today

Santa Fe 33
Buenos Aires Province 12

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

31 people named Summer live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

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

Where they live today

Zurich 12
St. Gallen 8
Solothurn 6
Aargau 5

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Summer 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

Summer in American newspapers,
1905–1915.

Newspaper page from The Brandon News carrying the name Summer
The Brandon News 1905-11-16
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Summer
The Birmingham Age-herald 1915-09-05
Newspaper page from The Western News carrying the name Summer
The Western News 1910-07-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 11,622 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Summer in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

15,659 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Summer. The most, 2,448, date from the 1910s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,807
Victoria 3,493
Queensland 2,630
South Australia 1,551
Western Australia 1,394
Tasmania 604
ACT (Canberra) 134
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named Summer,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Alexander von Summer
    Alexander von Summer 1820–1882 · politician
  • Donna Summer
    Donna Summer 1948–2012 · actor
  • Fabian Sommer 1533–1571 · physician
  • Hugo Summer 1888–1971 · educator
  • Sepp Summer 1891–1959 · composer
  • Rudolf Summer 1935–2014 · jurist

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 Summer,
in the records of 8 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 States623 records

623 records of the Summer name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 217
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 194
  • Other U.S. records 212
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward A. Summer

    Born 1908 in Ohio. Enlisted 1943 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; foreman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1980, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Henry J. Summer

    Born 1917 in Georgia. Enlisted 1941 at Fort McPherson Atlanta; mechanic from Clayton County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at College Park Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Eliza Summer

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Adriatic from Liverpool, aged 26; servant. From Liverpool, England.

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

Showing 3 of 623 records for Summer in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia125 records

125 records of the Summer name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 60
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 29
  • Other Australian records 36
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Summer

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Lord Melville, arriving 1830; ticket of leave 1841.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margt Summer

    Arrived in Queensland in 1882 aboard the Scotland, aged 14.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Edward R. Summer

    Secretary manager of Wodonga, Victoria; died 1969.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 125 records for Summer 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: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Germany55 records

55 records of the Summer name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 52
  • German applications to settle and marry 3
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Hans Paul Summer

    From Nürnberg, Mittelfr. Reported wounded in the Bavarian casualty list of 12 September 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Anna Summer

    Named in an application to settle and marry at Pechbrunn in 1853.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Amberg (CC0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Summer

    Named in an application to settle and marry in 1848.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Amberg (CC0)

Showing 3 of 55 records for Summer in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (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); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada18 records

18 records of the Summer name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 8
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 4
  • Other Canadian records 6
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Peggy Summer

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Blackett, bound for Port Roseway, aged 21.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Summer

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Tweed, landing at Quebec, bound for Ingersoll, Ontario; English.

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

    Died 1932; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 18 records for Summer in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); 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).

Netherlands12 records

12 records of the Summer name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 4
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Catharijna Summer

    Married in 1821 in Zierikzee; of private means.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Catharina Summer

    In the population register of Aarle-Rixtel; missionary nun, born 1882 in Loipersbach (O).

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Eindhoven (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Louis Summer

    Died 1813 in Coevorden, aged 46; "veteraan".

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Summer 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom8 records

8 records of the Summer name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 6
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Richard Summer

    Will proved in 1928; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Summer

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. Summer

    South Lancashire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 8 records for Summer in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France7 records

7 records of the Summer 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 Catherine Alexandrine Summer

    Born 1897 in Francaltroff (Moselle); died 1986 in Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

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

    Born 1910 in Chalon-sur-Saône (Saône-et-Loire); died 2000 in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Marie Summer

    Born 1891 in Paris; died 1983 in Sarcelles (Val-d'Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Summer 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).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Summer 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 Margaret Summer

    Died 1912, aged 65; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Summer.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Summer 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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