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Show ContentsSimon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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Similar to many French family names, the distinguished surname Simon is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in France were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. As well as the names of the saints of the Christian Church, many of the most common French surnames are derived from personal names of Germanic origin. They derive from the language of the Visigoths, who controlled France between the mid-5th and early 8th centuries. Simon is derived from the Hebrew personal name Shim'on, meaning to hearken.

Early Origins of the Simon family

The surname Simon was first found in Lorraine where they held a family seat and are said to be descended from the first French Simon or Sigismond, the Duke of Lorraine, 1115 A.D. who was succeeded by Simon II in 1179. There is also some distant relationship to Simond, King of Bourgogne. Robert Simon is cited as a knight in 1169. 1

This prolific family dispersed to many parts of France including Kerbringal, Val-au-Houlle, Vallemoisan, Villeneuve and Ligou in Brittany, Plainmarais in Normandie, Quirielle in Bourbonnais, Maine, Laval, Montillemart and Ratisbone. Abbot Honoré-Richard Simon was a noted researcher who died in 1693. Richard Simon was a celebrated orator who died in 1712. Denis Simon was a noted jurist who died in 1731. Antoine Simon was guardian of the dauphin Louis XVII at Temple Prison in 1793. In Britain this surname Simon became the family name of the Viscounts and Barons Simon.

Gregoire Simon, born in 1631, son of Jean and Simone (née Bancherelle), travelled to Canada in the 17th century. He married Jeanne Collet, born in 1645, daughter of Michel and Marie (née Henaut), in Montreal, Quebec on 31st December 1668. They settled together in Montreal until they passed away on 8th May 1691. 2

Early History of the Simon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Simon research. The years 1638 and 1712 are included under the topic Early Simon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Simon, Simond, Simmon, Simmond, Simeon, Simmeon, Simian, Simiane, Simmiane, Simmian, Le Simon, Simmonde, Simonde, Simont, Simonte, De Simon, Du Simon, du Simon, de Simon, Simons, Simmonne, Simmonet and many more.

Early Notables of the Simon family

Notable in the family name was

  • Richard Simon (1638-1712), a French priest and longtime Oratorian, who was an influential biblical critic, orientalist and controversialist

Simon World Ranking

In the United States, the name Simon is the 428th most popular surname with an estimated 64,662 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Simon is ranked the 609th most popular surname with an estimated 8,340 people with that name. 4 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Simon is the 498th popular surname. 5 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Simon as 555th with 82 people. 6 France ranks Simon as 11st with 76,655 people. 7 Australia ranks Simon as 942nd with 4,199 people. 8 Netherlands ranks Simon as 951st with 2,165 people. 9

United States Simon migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Simon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Simon, who arrived in Maryland in 1642 10
  • Sander Simon, who landed in New England in 1651-1652 10
  • Sarah Simon, who landed in Virginia in 1666 10
  • Humphrey Simon, who landed in Maryland in 1677 10
  • Hester Bar Simon, who arrived in America in 1679 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sagarias Simon, who landed in New York in 1709 10
  • Philip Simon, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 10
  • Philippus Simon, who landed in New York in 1709 10
  • Laurents Simon, who landed in New York in 1709 10
  • Benedik Simon, who arrived in New York in 1709 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Wolf Simon, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1800 10
  • Andreas Simon, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 10
  • Pedro Simon, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1803 10
  • G A Simon, aged 24, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1804 10
  • Rene Simon, who landed in Louisiana in 1805-1809 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Joseph Simon, who landed in Arkansas in 1900 10
  • Abraham Simon, who landed in Mississippi in 1903 10
  • Henry M Simon, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1906 10
  • Otto Simon, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 10

Canada Simon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Simon Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Jean Simon, son of Jean and Éléonore, who married Catherine Lorion, daughter of Mathurin and Françoise, in Montreal, Quebec on 21st June 1655 11
  • Hubert Simon, son of Guillaume and Sébastienne, who married Marie Viez, daughter of Robert and Xainte, in Quebec on 27th November 1659 11
  • Hubert Simon (1659), Leonard Simon(1714) and Antoine-Charles (1761) settled in Quebec from Ile-de-France
  • Mr. Grégoire Simon, French settler travelling to Canada to work for Jeanne Mance and Sister Judith Moreau, arriving on 5th May 1659 12
  • Jeanne Collet Simon, who arrived in Montreal in 1668
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simon Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean Simon, son of Pierre and Marguerite, who married Marie-Angélique Arnault, daughter of René and Marie, in Quebec on 12th June 1703 11
  • Jean Simon, who settled in Quebec in 1703 from Guyenne
  • Leonard Simon, who arrived in Canada in 1714
  • Joseph Simon, son of Léonard and Mathurine, who married Renée Petit, daughter of Nicolas and Marie, in Varennes, Quebec on 19th August 1714 11
  • Pierre-Alexandre Simon, son of Pierre and Anne-Jeanne, who married Marie-Madeleine Lefebvre, daughter of Louis and Françoise, in Quebec on 5th February 1715 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Jean Jaques Simon, who arrived in Red River, Canada in 1821

Australia Simon migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Simon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Simon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Abberton" in 1846 13
  • Frederick Simon, aged 27, a baker, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 14

New Zealand Simon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Simon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • F Simon, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Arab
  • Francis Simon, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
  • Miss Elizabeth Simon, (b. 1841), aged 22, British domestic servant from Alderney, Guernsey travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 15
  • Nicholas Simon, aged 33, a mason, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Soukar" in 1874
  • Esther Simon, aged 33, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Soukar" in 1874
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Simon (post 1700) +

  • Neil Simon (1927-2018), American playwright awarded the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, best known for his work on The Phil Silvers Show (1955-1959), Barefoot in the Park (1963) and The Odd Couple (1965), seventeen-time Tony award nominated, three-time winner
  • Carly Elisabeth Simon (b. 1943), American musician, singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author, known for "Anticipation", "The Right Thing to Do", "Haven't Got Time for the Pain", "You Belong to Me", "Coming Around Again", and her four Gold-certified singles "You're So Vain", "Mockingbird", "Nobody Does It Better" and "Jesse"
  • Joanna Elizabeth Simon (1936-2022), American mezzo-soprano and journalist, daughter of publisher Richard L. Simon, sister of singer and songwriter Carly Simon
  • Lucy Simon (1940-2022), American Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominated and Grammy Award winning composer for the theatre and of popular songs, best known for the musicals The Secret Garden (1991) and Doctor Zhivago (2011)
  • Calvin Eugene Simon (1942-2022), American singer born in Beckley, West Virginia, member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997
  • Joe Simon (1936-2021), American soul and R&B musician who charted 51 U.S. Pop and R&B chart hits between 1964 and 1981, including eight times in the US top forty, thirty-eight times in the top 40 of the US R&B charts, and 13 chart hits in Canada, inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
  • John Ivan Simon (1925-2019), American author and literary, theater, and film critic
  • Robert E. "Bob" Simon Jr. (1914-2015), American real estate entrepreneur, founder of the community of Reston, Virginia
  • Kerry Simon (1955-2015), American celebrity chef and restaurateur based in Las Vegas, nicknamed the "Rock n' Roll Chef," by Rolling Stone
  • Marvin Neil Simon (b. 1927), birth name of Neil Simon, the American Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and screenwriter
  • ... (Another 22 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bismarck
  • Johann Simon (1913-1941), German Obermaschinist who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 16
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. Albert Henry Simon, British Assistant Cook from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 17
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Walter Hamilton Simon, American Seaman First Class from New Jersey, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 18

The Simon Motto +

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: C'est mon plaisir
Motto Translation: It is my pleasure.
  1. Hozier, Charles D, and Antoine Bachelin-Delforenne. État présent De La Noblesse française (1883-1887): Contenant Le Distionnaire De La Noblesse Contemporaine Et Larmorial général De France, Dapres Les Manuscrits De Ch. D Hozier. Librairie Des Bibliophiles, 1884. Print.
  2. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  5. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  6. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  7. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  8. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  10. 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)
  11. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  12. Debien, Gabriel. Liste Des Engagés Pour Le Canada Au XVIIe Siècle. Vol. 6, Laval University, 1952. (Retreived 24th May 2018). Retrieved from https://lebloguedeguyperron.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/130-liste-des-contrats-dengagement-pour-la-nouvelle-france-releves-a-la-rochelle-entre-1634-et-1679/
  13. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ABBERTON 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Abberton.htm
  14. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
  17. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  18. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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