| ![Show Contents]() Somner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of SomnerWhat does the name Somner mean? Somner is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a "summoner", a petty officer who cited and warned people to appear in court. The surname Somner is derived from the Anglo-French words somenour and sumenour, which in turn were derived from the Old French words somoneor and semoneor, which mean summoner. Early Origins of the Somner familyThe surname Somner was first found in Oxfordshire at Bicester where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say at the time of the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Somner familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Somner research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1598, 1635, 1669 and 1848 are included under the topic Early Somner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Somner Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Somner has appeared include Sumner, Sumners and others. Early Notables of the Somner familyNotables of this surname at this time include: - Willaim Somner (1598-1669), an Anglo-Saxon scholar, baptised in the church of St...
| Somner migration to the United States | + |
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Somner arrived in North America very early:
Somner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Elisa Somner, aged 18, British settler from Northampton who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 1
- Henry Somner, aged 15, British settler from Northampton who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 1
- Ralph Somner, who landed in Maryland in 1662 1
Somner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Peter Nicholas Somner, who arrived in New York in 1762 1
Somner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Gotlieb Somner, who landed in New York in 1831 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Somner (post 1700) | + |
- Guy Somner Lowman Jr. (1909-1941), American linguist, Sterling Fellow at Yale University (1931-1933)
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: In medio tutissimus ibis
Motto Translation: Thou wilt go safest in the middle.
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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