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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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While surnames were well-known during the English medieval period, Cornish People originally used only a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames came into common use is interesting. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Patronymic surnames were derived from given names and were the predominant type of surname among the Celtic peoples of Britain. However, the people of Cornwall provide a surprising exception to this rule, and patronymic surnames are less common among them than other people of Celtic stock, such as their Welsh neighbors. This type of surname blended perfectly with the prevailing Feudal System. One feature that is occasionally found in Cornish surnames of this type is the suffix -oe or -ow; this is derived from the Cornish plural suffix -ow. is a patronymic surname that came from the first name of the bearer's father, meaning literally "son of Simon." Alternatively, the name could have "come from the Domesday name Simund, which is distinct from Simon." 1

Simon was a popular biblical name and comes ultimately from the ancient Hebrew personal name Shimon, meaning "to hearken." 2

The name appears as a character in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: 'Awake, Simond, the fend is on me fall.'

Early Origins of the Simon family

The surname Simon was first found in Devon and in Cornwall, where the family held a family seat since ancient times.

The ancient Latin form of the name Simmunddnrus was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 3

Simeon or Symeon of Durham (fl. 1130), was an English historian, a monk of Durham, being thirty-eighth on his own list of the monks of that house. Saint Simeon Stock (1165?-1265), was general of the Carmelite friars and is said to have been born in Kent of noble parents about 1165. "From his earliest years he was devoted to religion, and, according to the legend, owed his surname to the fact that from his twelfth year he lived a hermit's life in the trunk or stock of a tree for twenty years. " 4

Simeon of Warwick (died 1295), was an English historian who became a Benedictine monk at St. Mary's, York, and in 1258 was elected abbot.

In Scotland, the first records of the family were "Symon, capellanus, [who] witnessed a charter by William Bruce to Adam Carlyle, c. 1194-1214, and Symon or Simon, archidiaconus of Aberdeen, a charter witness, 1172." 5

Early History of the Simon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Simon research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1178, 1273, 1379, 1388, 1475, 1487, 1500, 1525, 1528, 1586, 1614, 1617, 1623, 1624, 1640, 1665, 1687, 1692, 1815 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Simon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simon Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Symons, Symonds, Symond, Simmins, Simins, Simmonds, Simonds, Simond, Simmons, Simon, Simmon, Simmen, Symon and many more.

Early Notables of the Simon family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • John Symons, M.P. for Helston in 1388; Thomas Simon (c. 1623-1665), English medalist, born in Yorkshire who studied engraving under Nicholas Briot; Samuel Simmons (1640-1687), an English printer, best...

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. 6 However, in Canada, the name Simon is ranked the 609th most popular surname with an estimated 8,340 people with that name. 7 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Simon is the 498th popular surname. 8 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Simon as 555th with 82 people. 9 France ranks Simon as 11st with 76,655 people. 10 Australia ranks Simon as 942nd with 4,199 people. 11 Netherlands ranks Simon as 951st with 2,165 people. 12

Ireland Migration of the Simon family to Ireland

Some of the Simon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Simon migration to the United States +

An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Simon:

Simon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Simon, who arrived in Maryland in 1642 13
  • Sander Simon, who landed in New England in 1651-1652 13
  • Sarah Simon, who landed in Virginia in 1666 13
  • Humphrey Simon, who landed in Maryland in 1677 13
  • Hester Bar Simon, who arrived in America in 1679 13
  • ... (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 13
  • Philip Simon, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 13
  • Philippus Simon, who landed in New York in 1709 13
  • Laurents Simon, who landed in New York in 1709 13
  • Benedik Simon, who arrived in New York in 1709 13
  • ... (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 13
  • Andreas Simon, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 13
  • Pedro Simon, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1803 13
  • G A Simon, aged 24, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1804 13
  • Rene Simon, who landed in Louisiana in 1805-1809 13
  • ... (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 13
  • Abraham Simon, who landed in Mississippi in 1903 13
  • Henry M Simon, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1906 13
  • Otto Simon, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 13

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 14
  • Hubert Simon, son of Guillaume and Sébastienne, who married Marie Viez, daughter of Robert and Xainte, in Quebec on 27th November 1659 14
  • 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 15
  • 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 14
  • 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 14
  • 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 14
  • ... (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 16
  • Frederick Simon, aged 27, a baker, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 17

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 18
  • 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 19
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 20
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 21
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  8. "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
  9. 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)
  10. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  11. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  12. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  13. 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)
  14. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  15. 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/
  16. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ABBERTON 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Abberton.htm
  17. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
  20. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  21. 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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