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Sumner Family History

Sumner Surname Meaning

English: occupational name for an official who was responsible for ensuring the appearance of witnesses in court

from Middle English som(p)nour(e) ‘summoner’

(Old French somoneor semoneor).

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


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Where is the Sumner family from?

You can see how Sumner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sumner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sumner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,902 Sumner families living in Lancashire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Sumner's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Sumner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sumner 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 Sumner 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 Sumner. 11% of Sumner men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Sumner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sumner were Bricklayer and Cotton Weaver.

View Census Data for Sumner | 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
    11%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%

What Sumner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 149,000 census records available for the last name Sumner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sumner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sumner

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Sumner. 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 Sumner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 37,000 military records available for the last name Sumner. For the veterans among your Sumner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sumner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sumner family history

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What is the average Sumner lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Sumner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Sumner in 1941 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sumner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sumner 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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