Contents [hide]

Simson History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Simson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The name Simson is a patronymic surname formed from the Medieval given name Sim. The original bearer of the name would have been the "son of Sim."

Early Origins of the Simson family

The surname Simson was first found in Buckinghamshire, where Simpson was listed in the Domesday Book as Sevinstone or Siwinestone, lands held by the Bishop of Countances. The place literally meant "farmstead of a man called Sigewine" derived from the Old Scandinavian personal name + tun. 1

At the time, the land consisted of 8 hides (each hide would support one household), 3 virgates (three quarters of a hide) and land enough to support 8 ploughs. There were 13 villans (peasants), 2 bordars and 6 slaves 2.

The family's introduction to Scotland began in 1405. "The Symson [family] of Brunton, have been established in Fifeshire from the commencement of the 15th century." 3

Simpson is "characteristic of the northern half of England. Yorkshire is its great home, it being very numerous in the North and East Ridings. In the surrounding counties of Durham, Lancashire, Cheshire, Stafford, and Derby, it is also well represented. Though it has established itself in some measure in Suffolk and Essex, it is with these exceptions eminently a name of the northern counties and northern midlands. It is represented over a large part of Scotland, but is rare in the north." 4

Early History of the Simson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Simson research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1405, 1412, 1422, 1448, 1475, 1477, 1482, 1488, 1491, 1567, 1646, 1685, 1687, 1688, 1696, 1764, 1768 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Simson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Simpson, Simson, Simsoun, Symson, Symsoun, Simpsone and many more.

Early Notables of the Simson family

More information is included under the topic Early Simson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Simson family to Ireland

Some of the Simson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simson migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Simson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Simson, who landed in Virginia in 1643 5
Patrick Simson, who landed in New England in 1651-1652 5
Dan Simson, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 5
Daniel Simson, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 5
Daniell Simson, who landed in America in 1652 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Margaret Simson, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 5
Mary Simson, who landed in Virginia in 1703 5
Anne Simson, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 5
Eliza Simson, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 5
Joseph Simson, who landed in New York in 1740-1741 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Isaac Simson, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1804 5
Hoza Simson, aged 44, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 5
Jeanette Simson, aged 3, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 5
Jacob Jacob Simson, aged 25, who arrived in New York, NY in 1848 5
Aron Simson, aged 5, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Simson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. William Simson U.E., (Simpson) who settled in Canada c. 1784 6
Mr. William Simson U.E. who settled in Cramahe, Northumberland County, Ontario c. 1786 he was an Artificer in the King's Works 6

Simson migration to Australia +

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

Simson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Simson, English convict who was convicted in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Frederick Simson, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Simlah" in 1849 8

Simson 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:

Simson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Simson, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Earl Durham" arriving in Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand in 1841 9
Benjamin Simson, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
Mary Simson, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
David Simson, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
Phoebe Simson, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Simson (post 1700) +

Sampson Simson (1780-1857), American philanthropist, "the father of Mount Sinai Hospital"
William Simson (1800-1847), Scottish portrait, landscape and subject painter
Thomas Simson (1696-1764), Scottish medical academic at the University of St Andrews
Robert Simson (1687-1768), Scottish mathematician and geometer
James Simson (1740-1770), Scottish medical academic at the University of St Andrews (1764 to 1770)
Ronald Simson (b. 1914), Scotland rugby player
Michelle Simson, Canadian politician in Ontario
Mecia Simson, British model
Martin Eduard von Simson (1810-1899), German jurist and politician
Brigadier Ivan Simson OBE (1890-1971), British Chief Engineer in Malaya
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Simson 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: Alis nutrior
Motto Translation: I am fed by my wings.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SIMLAH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Simlah.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html