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

Somersall, 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 Somersall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Somersall in America

Somersall is the 106096th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Somersall surname appeared 168 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Somersall.

We can also compare 2010 data for Somersall 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 Somersall

The surname Somersall has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Somersall in Derbyshire. This place name itself is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "sumor" meaning summer and "salh" meaning a willow tree or sallow, referring to a willow plantation or willow-covered land.

Somersall is not a name found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which suggests it emerged later in the Middle Ages. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is in the Derbyshire Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a William de Somersale is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the locational origins of the name.

In the 15th century, a John Somersall is recorded in the Register of the Gild of the Holy Cross in Stratford-upon-Avon, dated 1490. This provides evidence of the surname's presence in the West Midlands region during that time period.

Notable individuals with the surname Somersall include Robert Somersall, a renowned English clockmaker and watchmaker who lived from 1657 to 1720. His exceptional horological skills earned him recognition as one of the finest clockmakers of his era.

Another significant figure was Sir James Somersall (1742-1819), a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Admiral. He served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, commanding several ships and participating in various battles.

In the realm of politics, Thomas Somersall (1767-1842) was a prominent Member of Parliament for Stafford from 1806 to 1807 and again from 1818 to 1830. He played an active role in shaping policies during his parliamentary career.

The name Somersall has also been associated with academia. Edward Somersall (1802-1878) was a respected scholar and clergyman who served as the Principal of Queen's College, Birmingham, from 1848 to 1878, contributing significantly to the institution's growth and development.

Lastly, mention should be made of George Somersall (1866-1947), a successful English businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to various charitable causes, leaving a lasting impact on his local community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Somersall

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

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 Somersall 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 Somersall 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 Somersall was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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