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Somers Family History

Somers Surname Meaning

Irish: adopted for Ó Somacháin; see Summers. Irish: in Northern Ireland adopted for Gaelic Mag Shamradháin; see McGovern. In Irish samhradh means ‘summer’. English (Somerset): variant of Summers.

Dutch and Flemish: from Middle Dutch somer ‘summer’ a nickname for someone of a warm disposition or for someone associated with the season in some other way.

Dutch and Flemish: habitational or topographic name referring to a house named De Zomer (‘The Summer’) or a topographic name for someone from a location named with zomer ‘summer’, such as Zomerdijk (‘summer dyke’).

Dutch and Flemish: occupational name for a craftsman who hems (textile, plasterwork, baskets, barrels) derived from somen ‘to hem’.

Dutch and Flemish: nickname from Middle Dutch somer ‘pack animal’. Dutch: in part of German origin (see Sommers).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Somers family from?

You can see how Somers families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Somers family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Somers families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 175 Somers families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Somers's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Somers families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Somers surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Somers ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Somers. 12% of Somers men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Somers women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Somers were Commercial Traveller and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Somers | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Gardener
    7%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Commercial Traveller
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Somers family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 91,000 census records available for the last name Somers. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Somers census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Somers

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Somers. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Somers immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Somers. For the veterans among your Somers ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Somers military records

You've only scratched the surface of Somers family history

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What is the average Somers lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Somers life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Somers in 1941 was 67, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Somers

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Somers ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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