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

It was among those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain that the name Simson was formed. The name was derived from the baptismal name Simon, which was originally derived from the Hebrew word Shimeon meaning obedience. In the religious naming tradition surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

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. 1

The place literally meant "farmstead of a man called Sigewine" derived from the Old Scandinavian personal name + tun. 2

At that 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 1.

Today Simpson is a village and civil parish in Milton Keynes and had a population of 585 people in the late 1800s. Another source has a different understanding of the name's origin. "The Simpsons of Knaresborough trace their lineage from the time of Edward the Confessor, and from Archill, a Saxon thane, living in that reign of the Conqueror. Among his vast possessions was the manor of Clint in Yorkshire. The name of Simpson was adopted from Symon, son of William de Clynt who was living in the year 1300. " 3

The name 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

In Staffordshire, Richard Symmeson was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1353. A few years later, Adam Symson was found in Whitby, Yorkshire in 1395, as was John Simpson in 1397. John Symson or Sympson was registered in Lincolnshire in 1487. 5

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Johannes Symson; Johannes Symmeson; and Johannes Symnson. 6

Early History of the Simson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Simson research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1050, 1405, 1500, 1578, 1599, 1600, 1602, 1611, 1618, 1620, 1627, 1642, 1651, 1655, 1656, 1657, 1669, 1671 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

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Simson include Simpson, Simson, Simsoun, Symson, Symsoun and many more.

Early Notables of the Simson family

Distinguished members of the family include

Edward Simpson or Simson (1578-1651), English divine, son of Edward Simpson, rector of Tottenham, was born at Tottenham on 9 May 1578. In 1611 he became chaplain to Sir Moyle Finch of Eastwell in Kent...

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 +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Simson were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Simson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Simson, who landed in Virginia in 1643 7
Patrick Simson, who landed in New England in 1651-1652 7
Dan Simson, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 7
Daniel Simson, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 7
Daniell Simson, who landed in America in 1652 7
... (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 7
Mary Simson, who landed in Virginia in 1703 7
Anne Simson, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 7
Eliza Simson, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 7
Joseph Simson, who landed in New York in 1740-1741 7
... (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 7
Hoza Simson, aged 44, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 7
Jeanette Simson, aged 3, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 7
Jacob Jacob Simson, aged 25, who arrived in New York, NY in 1848 7
Aron Simson, aged 5, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 7
... (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 8
Mr. William Simson U.E. who settled in Cramahe, Northumberland County, Ontario c. 1786 he was an Artificer in the King's Works 8

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) 9
Frederick Simson, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Simlah" in 1849 10

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 11
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
Ronald Simson (b. 1914), Scotland rugby player
Robert Simson (1687-1768), Scottish mathematician and geometer
Michelle Simson, Canadian politician in Ontario
Mecia Simson, British model
Martin Eduard von Simson (1810-1899), German jurist and politician
James Simson (1740-1770), Scottish medical academic at the University of St Andrews (1764 to 1770)
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: Nil desperandum
Motto Translation: Never despairing.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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