Background
He was born at Sukkestad in Toten as a son of district stipendiary magistrate and chancellor councillor David Christian Sommerfelt (1717–1773) and Benedicte "Bente" Christine Hoff.
He was born at Sukkestad in Toten as a son of district stipendiary magistrate and chancellor councillor David Christian Sommerfelt (1717–1773) and Benedicte "Bente" Christine Hoff.
University of Copenhagen.
Sommerfeldt grew up at Sukkestad, and enrolled at the University of Copenhagen at the age of thirteen. He finished his theological studies at the age of twenty before studying geography and history at Sorø Academy. In 1776 he published the two textbooks Geographie til Ungdommens Brug and Kort Udtog af Geographien til Begynderes Bedste, which both came in six editions.
He was offered to succeed Gerhard Schøning as professor in these subjects, but instead shifted his academic field again, to practical agriculture and national economy.
In 1776 he entered the Danish civil service. In 1779 he was promoted to chamber councillor (Danish: Kammerråd).
He resided at Sukkestad. After the topographical society Topographisk Selskab for Norge was published in 1791 and started the journal Topographisk Journal for Norge, his text was reprinted there.