Sumner is a

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

. It originates from the English-language word that is spelt, in modern English, ''summoner'', denoting a person who serves a

summons A summons (also known in England and Wales as a claim form or plaint note, and in the Australian state of New South Wales as a court attendance notice (CAN)) is a legal document issued by a court (a ''judicial summons'') or by an administrative ag ...

. In

Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer ( ; – 25 October 1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for ''The Canterbury Tales''. He has been called the "father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "father of English poetry". He w ...

's ''

The Canterbury Tales ''The Canterbury Tales'' () is a collection of 24 stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. The book presents the tales, which are mostly written in verse, as part of a fictional storytelling contest held ...

'', one of the characters is a summoner (see " The Summoner's Tale"); a

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman Conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English pe ...

spelling is ''Somonour''. Other spellings include ''Sumpner'', ''Somner'', and ''Summoner''. Notable people with this surname include: * Allen Melancthon Sumner (1882–1918), American Marine * Andrew Sumner, British movie journalist and publisher * Benedict Humphrey Sumner (1893–1951), usually known as Humphrey Sumner, English historian *

Bernard Sumner Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956) is an English musician. He is a founding member of the bands Joy Division, New Order, Electronic, and Bad Lieutenant. Sumner was an early force in several areas, including the post-punk, synth-pop, and ...

(born 1956), British musician * Brian Sumner (born 1979), British skateboarder * Bruce Sumner (1924–2018), American Superior Court Judge * Byron Sumner (born 1991), Australian rules footballer * Carl Sumner (1908–1999), American baseball player *

Charles Sumner Charles Sumner (January 6, 1811March 11, 1874) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1851 until his death in 1874. Before and during the American Civil War, he was a leading American ...

(1811–1874), American politician * Charles Sumner (bishop) (1790–1874), Anglican bishop (Landaff and then Winchester) * Charlie Sumner (1930–2015), American football player and coach * Charlotte Sumner, American neurologist * Chris Sumner (born 1943), former Australian politician * Cid Ricketts Sumner (1890–1970), American novelist * Claude Sumner (1919–2012), Canadian philosopher * Edmond Sumner (born 1995), American basketball player, NBA, Indiana Pacers * Edwin Vose "Bull" Sumner (1797–1863), American Civil War general * Elizabeth Keawepoʻoʻole Sumner (1850–1911), Hawaiian chiefess and lady-in-waiting * Francis Bertody Sumner (1874–1945), American ichthyologist, zoologist and writer * Geoffrey Sumner (1908–1989), British actor, commentator for British Movietone News * Gordon Sumner, former Australian rules footballer * Sting (born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner in 1951), lead singer of British Band

The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig, the line-up settled as Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussi ...

* Gregory Sumner, history professor and biographer * Heywood Sumner (1853–1940), English artist, designer, writer and archaeologist * Humphrey Sumner (1743–1814), English Anglican priest and educationalist *

Increase Sumner Increase Sumner (November 27, 1746 – June 7, 1799) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician from Massachusetts. He was the fifth governor of Massachusetts, serving from 1797 to 1799. Trained as a lawyer, he served in the Massachusetts P ...

(1746–1799), American politician and jurist * J. D. Sumner (1924–1998), American singer and songwriter * James B. Sumner (1887–1955), American biochemist * Jean Sumner, American internist and academic administrator * Jessie Sumner (1898–1994), U.S. Representative from Illinois *

Jethro Sumner Jethro Exum Sumner ( – c. March 18, 1785) was a senior officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in Virginia, Sumner's military service began in the French and Indian War as a member of the state's Prov ...

(1733–1785), American Revolutionary War general * Joe Sumner (born 1976), British musician * John Sumner (actor, died 1649) (died May 1649), English theatre actor *

John Bird Sumner John Bird Sumner (25 February 1780 – 6 September 1862) was a bishop in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury. Early life John Bird Sumner was born in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, on 25 February 1780. He was the eldest son of the Re ...

(1780–1862), Anglican bishop/Archbishop of Canterbury * John Robert Sumner (1850–1933), English amateur footballer, played in 1873 FA Cup Final (grandson of John Bird Sumner) * John S. Sumner (1876–1971), head of New York Society for the Suppression of Vice from 1915 to 1950 * Joseph Burton Sumner (1837–1920), American settler * Kelly Sumner (born 1961), British businessman * L. W. Sumner (born 1941), Canadian philosopher * Liam Sumner (born 1993), former professional Australian rules footballer * Major "Moogy" Sumner (born 1948),

Aboriginal Australian elder Australian Aboriginal elders are highly respected people within Australia and their respective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. An elder has been defined as "someone who has gained recognition as a custodian of knowledge and ...

, environmental activist, dancer, and cultural adviser * Mary Sumner (1828–1921), founder of the Mothers' Union * Mary Lou Sumner (1927–2002), American politician *

Mickey Sumner Brigitte Michael "Mickey" Sumner (born 19 January 1984) is an English actress best known for her film roles as Sophie Levee in ''Frances Ha'' (2012) and Farrah in ''The Mend (film), The Mend'' (2014) and her television roles as Katia on ''Low W ...

(born 1984), English actress * Nancy Sumner (1839–1895), Hawaiian chiefess and lady-in-waiting * Peter Sumner (1942–2016), Australian actor, director and writer * Phil Sumner (born 1990), cornet, keyboard and guitar player * Robert Sumner (1922–2016), American evangelist and writer * Samuel S. Sumner (1842–1937), American general * Sarah Sumner, American evangelical theologian *

Sophie Sumner Sophie Sumner (born 15 January 1990) is an English fashion model. She is best known for winning cycle 18 of ''America's Next Top Model'' and previously the runner-up of cycle 5 of '' Britain's Next Top Model''. Early life Sumner was born an ...

(born 1990), British fashion model * Steve Sumner (1955–2017), New Zealand football player * T. B. Sumner (1857–1934), American politician * Thomas Hubbard Sumner (1807–1876), American mariner * Tim Sumner (footballer) (born 1994), Australian rules footballer * Tim Sumner (physicist), Professor of Experimental Physics at

Imperial College London Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...

* Walt Sumner (born 1947), American football player *

William Graham Sumner William Graham Sumner (October 30, 1840 – April 12, 1910) was an American clergyman, social scientist, and neoclassical liberal. He taught social sciences at Yale University, where he held the nation's first professorship in sociology and bec ...

(1840–1910), American sociologist * William H. Sumner (1780–1861), Boston historical figure * William Keolaloa Sumner (1816–1885), Hawaiian chief and landholder

See also