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

Sumrall, 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 Sumrall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sumrall in America

Sumrall is the 8359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sumrall surname appeared 3,961 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Sumrall.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sumrall 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 Sumrall

The surname Sumrall has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "sumer" and "halh," meaning "summer" and "nook" or "hollow," respectively. This suggests that the name may have referred to a person who lived in a summer dwelling or a sheltered area.

One of the earliest known records of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it is listed as "Sumerhal." This ancient document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, served as a census and survey of landowners in the county.

During the 14th century, the name evolved to various spellings such as "Summerhale," "Somerhale," and "Somerhayll," reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. These early recordings can be found in historical documents like the Subsidy Rolls and Parish Registers of several English counties, including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.

The Sumrall name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was John Sumrall, born around 1520 in Oxfordshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a churchwarden in his local parish.

Another significant figure was William Sumrall, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who lived between 1580 and 1648. He played a role in the thriving maritime trade of his time and amassed considerable wealth.

In the 17th century, the Sumrall family established roots in the American colonies. Thomas Sumrall, born in 1625 in Gloucestershire, England, was among the early settlers in Virginia. He and his descendants contributed to the expansion and development of the New World.

Moving forward to the 18th century, Samuel Sumrall (1712-1785) was a respected farmer and landowner in North Carolina. He left a lasting legacy through his numerous offspring, many of whom carried on the family name in the region.

During the 19th century, the Sumrall name gained further prominence with the exploits of Colonel James Sumrall (1824-1892), a Confederate officer from Mississippi who fought bravely in the American Civil War. His military service and leadership earned him recognition in historical accounts of the conflict.

While the Sumrall surname has endured for centuries, its origins can be traced back to the rolling landscapes of medieval England, where it may have referred to a summer dwelling or sheltered area, reflecting the connection between the name and the natural environment.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sumrall

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

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

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

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