Sumner (surname)
Sumner is a surname. It originates from the English-language word that is spelt, in modern English, summoner, denoting a person who serves a summons. In Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, one of the characters is a summoner ; a Middle English spelling is Somonour. Other spellings include Sumpner, Somner, and Summoner.
Notable people with this surname include:
- Allen Melancthon Sumner, American Marine
- Andrew Sumner, British movie journalist and publisher
- Benedict Humphrey Sumner, usually known as Humphrey Sumner, English historian
- Bernard Sumner, British musician
- Brian Sumner, British skateboarder
- Bruce Sumner, American Superior Court Judge
- Byron Sumner, Australian rules footballer
- Carl Sumner, American baseball player
- Charles Sumner, American politician
- Charles Sumner (bishop), Anglican bishop
- Charlie Sumner, American football player and coach
- Charlotte Sumner, American neurologist
- Chris Sumner, former Australian politician
- Cid Ricketts Sumner, American novelist
- Claude Sumner, Canadian philosopher
- Edmond Sumner, American basketball player, NBA, Indiana Pacers
- Edwin Vose "Bull" Sumner, American Civil War general
- Elizabeth Keawepoʻoʻole Sumner, Hawaiian chiefess and lady-in-waiting
- Francis Bertody Sumner, American ichthyologist, zoologist and writer
- Geoffrey Sumner, British actor, commentator for British Movietone News
- Gordon Sumner, former Australian rules footballer
- Sting, lead singer of British Band The Police
- Gregory Sumner, history professor and biographer
- Heywood Sumner, English artist, designer, writer and archaeologist
- Humphrey Sumner, English Anglican priest and educationalist
- Increase Sumner, American politician and jurist
- J. D. Sumner, American singer and songwriter
- James B. Sumner, American biochemist
- Jean Sumner, American internist and academic administrator
- Jessie Sumner, U.S. Representative from Illinois
- Jethro Sumner, American Revolutionary War general
- Joe Sumner, British musician
- John Sumner (actor, died 1649), English theatre actor
- John Bird Sumner, Anglican bishop/Archbishop of Canterbury
- John Robert Sumner, English amateur footballer, played in 1873 FA Cup Final
- John S. Sumner, head of New York Society for the Suppression of Vice from 1915 to 1950
- Joseph Burton Sumner, American settler
- Kelly Sumner, British businessman
- L. W. Sumner, Canadian philosopher
- Liam Sumner, former professional Australian rules footballer
- Major "Moogy" Sumner, Aboriginal Australian elder, environmental activist, dancer, and cultural adviser
- Mary Sumner, founder of the Mothers' Union
- Mary Lou Sumner, American politician
- Mickey Sumner, English actress
- Nancy Sumner, Hawaiian chiefess and lady-in-waiting
- Peter Sumner, Australian actor, director and writer
- Phil Sumner, cornet, keyboard and guitar player
- Robert Sumner, American evangelist and writer
- Samuel S. Sumner, American general
- Sarah Sumner, American evangelical theologian
- Sophie Sumner, British fashion model
- Steve Sumner, New Zealand football player
- T. B. Sumner, American politician
- Thomas Hubbard Sumner, American mariner
- Tim Sumner (footballer), Australian rules footballer
- Tim Sumner (physicist), Professor of Experimental Physics at Imperial College London
- Walt Sumner, American football player
- William Graham Sumner, American sociologist
- William H. Sumner, Boston historical figure
- William Keolaloa Sumner, Hawaiian chief and landholder