Find out how popular the last name Somers is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Somers.

Somers, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Somers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Somers in America

Somers is the 3333rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Somers surname appeared 10,762 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Somers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Somers to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Somers

The surname Somers has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sumor" meaning summer and "aern" meaning house or cottage, suggesting it referred to a summer dwelling or a place where people lived during the summer months.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Summersete" in Somerset. This indicates that the name was likely associated with a specific location or settlement in that region.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Sumers, Sumeris, and Somers, reflecting the evolution of spelling over time. It is also thought to have been influenced by the Old French word "somer," meaning a pack animal or a burden-bearer.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Somers was Sir John Somers (c. 1651-1716), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1697 to 1700. He played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the establishment of constitutional monarchy in England.

Another notable figure was John Somers, 1st Baron Somers (1652-1716), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1693 to 1700. He was a prominent advocate for religious tolerance and was instrumental in the Act of Settlement of 1701, which established the line of succession to the British throne.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Somers was Benjamin Somers (c. 1715-1804), a revolutionary soldier from Pennsylvania who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

The surname Somers is also associated with several place names, such as Somers Town in London, Somers Point in New Jersey, and Somers, Connecticut. These place names likely derived from the surname itself or were named after individuals bearing the Somers name.

Other notable individuals with the surname Somers include:

1. Richard Somers (1778-1804), an American naval officer who served during the Barbary Wars and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

2. John Somers, Baron Somers (1784-1835), a British politician and landowner who served as Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire.

3. Martha Somers (1892-1962), an American novelist and short story writer known for her works about life in the American South.

4. John Somers (1651-1737), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1707 to 1708.

5. Shirley Somers (1935-2020), an American actress and author best known for her role in the television series "Hazel."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Somers

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Somers.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Somers was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Somers has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Somers was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Somers, please contact us.

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