2000
#6,740
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,609
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.71
Rare Last name
Summerlin
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "summer pasture" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,099 Americans carry the last name Summerlin. That puts it at #7,238 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,220 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Summerlin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Summerlin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.1K
1 in 67,220
Census rank
#7,238
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,447 bearers of the surname Summerlin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7238th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Summerlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Summerlin
The surname Summerlin is an English locational name that originated in the county of Lancashire, England. It is derived from the Old English words "sumor" meaning summer and "lēah" meaning a meadow or clearing, referring to a summertime pasture or meadow.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Summerlin dates back to the 13th century in Lancashire. It is believed to have been derived from the place name Somerley or Summerley, which was first documented in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, the village of Somerley is listed as "Sumrelei," indicating the long-standing presence of the name in the region. The surname Summerlin is thought to have originated from this location, with families adopting the name based on their place of residence or origin.
Notable individuals with the surname Summerlin include William Summerlin, a merchant and landowner in Lancashire who lived in the 16th century. Records show that he owned properties in the town of Preston and surrounding areas.
Another prominent figure was John Summerlin, born in 1672, who served as a magistrate and Justice of the Peace in Lancashire during the early 18th century. He played an influential role in local governance and administration.
In the 19th century, Thomas Summerlin (1802-1879) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Lancashire, including churches and public edifices. His work left a lasting impact on the architectural landscape of the region.
Across the Atlantic, Benjamin Summerlin (1785-1867) was an early settler in the American South, establishing himself as a farmer and landowner in Georgia. He and his descendants contributed significantly to the development of the local community.
Another notable figure is Elizabeth Summerlin (1910-1998), who was a pioneering educator and advocate for children's rights in the United States. She dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children and was widely respected for her work.
The surname Summerlin has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with its origins dating back to the medieval period. Throughout the centuries, individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions across various fields, leaving their mark on local and regional histories.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Summerlin
Among Census respondents with the surname Summerlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Summerlin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Summerlin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4% · 3,619
- Black or African American9.3% · 413
- Two or more races5.0% · 221
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 119
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 49
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Summerlin
Summerlin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,824
+215 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 1.64
Rank movement Down 214 places
2020
#7,238
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,447
-377 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 284 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,740 | 4,609 | 1.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,954 | 4,824 | 1.64 | +215 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 214 places |
| 2020 | #7,238 | 4,447 | 1.49 | -377 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 284 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Summerlin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,954 | #7,238 | -4.1% |
| Count | 4,824 | 4,447 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.64 | 1.49 | -9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Summerlin bearers went from 4,824 to 4,447 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 284 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,954 to #7,238.
FAQ
Summerlin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Summerlin?
Name Census estimates that about 5,099 living Americans carry the surname Summerlin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,220 residents.
How common is Summerlin?
Summerlin ranks #7,238 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,447 people with the surname Summerlin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,099), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.49 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Summerlin.
Has Summerlin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Summerlin went from 4,824 recorded bearers to 4,447. That is a decrease of 377 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,954 to #7,238.
What does the Census say about the background of Summerlin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Summerlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Summerlin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.4% (3,619 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Summerlin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.4%), Black (9.3%), Two or More Races (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Summerlin (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Summerlin mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "summer pasture" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Summerlin (1.49 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Summerlin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.