Contents [hide]

Simons History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Australia New Zealand Canada United States

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Sources

Simons History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Italy
Israel

Etymology of Simons

What does the name Simons mean?

The name Simons originated from the personal name Simon, itself a derivative of the Hebrew name "Sim'on," from the verb "sama" meaning "to listen." Thus, the name Simons means "God has listened," referring to the gratitude of the parents who, having wished for a child, had their prayers answered.

Early Origins of the Simons family

The surname Simons was first found in Trapani, anciently Drepanum, Sicily. Bearers of Simons or one of its spelling variations have been found throughout southern Italy, but particularly on the island of Sicily, and in the region of Campania.

Early History of the Simons family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Simons research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1346, 1358, 1410, 1480, 1506, 1522, 1554, 1605, 1650 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Simons History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simons Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Simone, Simonelli, Simonetti, Simoni, Simioni, Desimone and many more.

Early Notables of the Simons family

Puccio di Simone (fl. 1346-1358), an Italian Gothic painter, active in Florence; Francesco (Cicco) Simonetta (1410-1480), an Italian Renaissance statesman remembered for composing an early treatise on cryptography; Giovanni Simone, Lord of the Manor...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Simons Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simons World Ranking

New Zealand, the name Simons is the 852^nd most popular surname with an estimated 859 people with that name. 1 However, in the United States, the name Simons is ranked the 1,357^th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 2 And in Netherlands, the name Simons is the 115^th popular surname with an estimated 9,198 people with that name. 3 South Africa ranks Simons as 887^th with 7,848 people. 4

Simons migration to Australia +

Simons Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Solomon Simons, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. William Simons, (b. 1800), aged 20, British carpenter who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Henry Simons, a bricklayer, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Joseph Simons, English convict from Northampton, who was transported aboard the "Agincourt" on July 6, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
Mr. John Simons, Cornish convict who was convicted in Bodmin, Cornwall, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simons 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:

Simons Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Walter Simons, British settler arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 9
Mrs. Catherine Simons née Wilton, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 9
Mr. William Simons, (b. 1843), aged 20, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 13th October 1863 10
Amelia Simons, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Empress" in 1865
Mr. Vincent T. Simons, (b. 1869), aged 9 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simons migration to Canada +

Simons Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

John Simons, who was a boatkeeper in St. John's Harbour, Newfoundland, in 1682 11

Simons Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Robert Simons, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. Titus Simons U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 12
Mr. Titus Geer Simons U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 12
Mr. Titus Simons Sr., U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 he was a Quarter Master 12
Mr. Henry Simons U.E. who settled in Thurlow [Belleville], Hastings County, Ontario c. 1790 he served in the Loyal Rangers 12

Simons Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Dan Simons, who arrived in Canada in 1828
Gehrhard Simons, who landed in Manitoba in 1874
Cornelius Simons, who landed in Manitoba in 1874
Jacob Simons, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
Berhard Simons, who landed in Manitoba in 1876
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simons migration to the United States +

Simons Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert and William Simons, who settled in Virginia in 1606
William Simons, who landed in Jamestown, Va in 1607 13
Roger Simons, who landed in America in 1620 13
Thomas Simons, who arrived in Maryland in 1642 13
Hendrickje Simons, who landed in America in 1646 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simons Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Susan Simons, who landed in Virginia in 1703 13
Richard Simons, who landed in Virginia in 1711 13
George Simons, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 13

Simons Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gerhard Simons, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 13
John Simons, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1810 13
Pedro Simons, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1813 13
Manuel G Simons, aged 21, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1837 13
John N Simons, aged 78, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1839 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Simons (post 1700) +

James Harris Simons (1938-2024), American hedge fund manager, mathematician, and philanthropist, founder of Renaissance Technologies, a quantitative hedge fund based in East Setauket, New York in 2023, Simons' net worth was estimated to be $29.4 billion
Richard Duncan Simons (1927-2022), American jurist and politician from New York, Acting Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1992 to 1993
Mr. William Simons, Welsh coal mine pumpman working in Abercarn coal mine in Wales on 11th September 1878, he was awarded the Albert Medal for lifesaving
Simone Simons (b. 1985), Dutch mezzo-soprano
Timmy Simons (b. 1976), Belgian footballer
Walter Simons (1861-1937), German lawyer and politician
Peter Simons (b. 1950), British philosopher
Moisés Simons (1889-1945), Cuban composer
Jim Simons (1950-2005), American PGA professional golfer
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Simons family +

HMS Vanguard

Mr. Charles James Simons (1893-1917), British Stoker 1st Class from London, who was aboard the ship "HMS Vanguard" when she exploded in the Scapa Flow off the Orkney Islands, Scotland on 9th July 1917
Mr. James Simons (b. 1785), Irish traveller from Ireland who sailed aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from Greenock, Scotland on 8th April 1833 to Quebec, Canada when the ship hit ice and sunk of the coast of Newfoundland on the 11th May 1833 and he died in the sinking

The Simons 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: Unguibus armatus in hostem
Motto Translation: Armed Against The Enemy.

Sources +

"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Agincourt voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 226 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agincourt/1844
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
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
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)