NameCensus.

UK surname

Sime

A Scottish surname derived from a nickname meaning "crooked" or "twisted".

In the 1881 census there were 1,214 people recorded with the Sime surname, ranking it #3,329 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,164, ranked #5,074, down from #3,329 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Elgin and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Bridge of Earn and Abernethy and Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sime is 1,295 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.1%.

1881 census count

1,214

Ranked #3,329

Modern count

1,164

2016, ranked #5,074

Peak year

1901

1,295 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sime had 1,214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,329 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,164 in 2016, ranked #5,074.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,295 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sime surname distribution map

The map shows where the Sime surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Sime surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sime over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 919 #3,001
1861 historical 934 #2,968
1881 historical 1,214 #3,329
1891 historical 1,222 #3,523
1901 historical 1,295 #3,850
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 1,082 #5,146
1998 modern 1,147 #5,071
1999 modern 1,163 #5,059
2000 modern 1,138 #5,125
2001 modern 1,106 #5,145
2002 modern 1,129 #5,172
2003 modern 1,093 #5,207
2004 modern 1,099 #5,187
2005 modern 1,102 #5,118
2006 modern 1,095 #5,159
2007 modern 1,111 #5,143
2008 modern 1,129 #5,112
2009 modern 1,140 #5,167
2010 modern 1,167 #5,160
2011 modern 1,161 #5,134
2012 modern 1,164 #5,036
2013 modern 1,184 #5,051
2014 modern 1,189 #5,065
2015 modern 1,173 #5,071
2016 modern 1,164 #5,074

Geography

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Where Simes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Elgin, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Bridge of Earn and Abernethy, Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill, North Muirton and Old Scone and Burghmuir and Oakbank. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Elgin Elgin
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 003 Pembrokeshire
2 Bridge of Earn and Abernethy Perth and Kinross
3 Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill Perth and Kinross
4 North Muirton and Old Scone Perth and Kinross
5 Burghmuir and Oakbank Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sime

These lists show first names that appear often with the Sime surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sime

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sime, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Sime surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sime household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sime is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sime is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sime falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sime is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Sime, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sime

The surname SIME originated in Scotland in the late 15th century. It is derived from the old Gaelic word "sim" or "simidh", meaning crooked or awry. This likely referred to someone who had a physical deformity or crooked posture.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Records of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1488, which mentions a John Syme. The name also appears in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1508, referring to a landholder named William Syme.

The SIME surname was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands, especially around the counties of Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. Some early variations of the spelling included Syme, Sym, and Symes. There are also records of the name being derived from place names like Symington in Ayrshire and Symondston in Lanarkshire.

Notable historical figures with the SIME surname include Andrew Syme (1763-1841), a Scottish surgeon and professor of midwifery at the University of Edinburgh. James Syme (1799-1870) was another prominent Scottish surgeon who pioneered new surgical techniques and served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

In the literary world, David Syme (1827-1908) was a Scottish-born Australian journalist and newspaper proprietor who founded The Age newspaper in Melbourne. Robert Syme (1795-1870) was a Scottish botanical illustrator and artist known for his intricate drawings of plants and flowers.

Moving across the Atlantic, Robert Syme (1830-1908) was a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1900 to 1905. James Syme (1832-1913) was a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sime families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sime surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Angus leads with 253 Simes recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.33x.

County Total Index
Angus 253 23.33x
Midlothian 193 12.31x
Fife 147 21.21x
Perthshire 137 26.08x
Lanarkshire 98 2.59x
Morayshire 82 45.08x
Ayrshire 34 3.88x
Lancashire 27 0.19x
Middlesex 27 0.23x
Northumberland 20 1.15x
Renfrewshire 20 2.20x
Stirlingshire 16 3.71x
Essex 15 0.65x
Banffshire 13 5.35x
Durham 13 0.37x
Lincolnshire 9 0.48x
West Lothian 9 5.11x
Caithness 8 4.99x
Dunbartonshire 8 2.54x
Pembrokeshire 8 2.15x
Selkirkshire 8 7.55x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.65x
Hampshire 7 0.29x
Argyllshire 6 1.84x
Ross-shire 4 1.24x
Somerset 4 0.21x
Sutherland 4 4.44x
Dorset 3 0.39x
Inverness-shire 3 0.86x
Kincardineshire 3 2.10x
Kent 2 0.05x
Kinross-shire 2 6.76x
Roxburghshire 2 0.94x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Yorkshire 2 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.39x
Nairnshire 1 2.80x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Shropshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 132 Simes recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.60x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 132 32.60x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 95 15.06x
Liff Benvie 51 30.98x
Perth East Church 40 80.76x
Glasgow 38 5.65x
Elgin 29 81.97x
Govan 29 3.10x
Newburn 26 1870.50x
Liberton 19 78.48x
Knockando 17 230.04x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 16 284.70x
Inchture 15 574.71x
Tynemouth 15 16.08x
Hamilton 14 13.26x
Kilconquhar 14 169.70x
Barony 13 1.36x
Elie 13 477.94x
Brechin 12 28.16x
Edinburgh Canongate 12 30.07x
Largo 12 133.33x
South Leith 12 6.80x
Errol 11 113.05x
Rafford 11 258.82x
St Vigeans 11 18.79x
Kilwinning 10 35.35x
Liverpool 10 1.19x
Bathgate 9 23.52x
Cargill 9 164.53x
Great Grimsby 9 7.58x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 5.97x
Little Dunkeld 9 100.90x
Fulham London 8 4.71x
Lambston 8 1000.00x
Leslie 8 45.58x
Markinch 8 34.01x
Melrose 8 30.02x
Thurso 8 32.00x
West Greenock 8 4.91x
West Ham 8 1.57x
Barry 7 53.80x
Bothkennar 7 54.31x
Cupar 7 23.23x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 22.97x
Leyton Low 7 14.90x
Monifieth 7 18.27x
Newbattle 7 52.24x
Newton On Ayr 7 26.68x
Oathlaw 7 391.06x
Old Cumnock 7 35.88x
Coupar Angus 6 58.48x
Eastwood 6 10.74x
Inveravon 6 57.97x
Kinclaven 6 252.10x
Logie 6 384.62x
Monimail 6 176.99x
Poplar London 6 2.72x
Scone 6 64.31x
Scoonie 6 39.97x
St Andrews 6 19.03x
Tannadice 6 118.81x
Anstruther Wester 5 185.19x
Bromley London 5 1.94x
Carnbee 5 117.92x
Dunoon Kilmun 5 19.68x
Dysart 5 10.72x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 5 13.48x
Edinburgh Greenside S 5 87.87x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 15.37x
Falkirk 5 4.95x
Forfar 5 8.52x
Kinnoull 5 36.21x
Old Kilpatrick 5 13.45x
West Derby 5 1.23x
Chirton 4 10.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 1.81x
Dundonald 4 12.38x
Newport 4 30.75x
Penicuik 4 18.77x
Southwick 4 12.13x
Yeovil 4 10.45x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sime surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Jane 7
Mary 5
Frances 4
Isabella 4
Sarah 4
Ann 2
Emma 2
Margaret 2
Susanah 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Cattrine 1
Christiana 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Francis 1
H.I.A. 1
Janet 1
Laer 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Priscilla 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Wilimina 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Sime surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Sime surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sime surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,214 people were recorded with the Sime surname. That placed it at #3,329 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sime surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,164 in 2016. That gives Sime a modern rank of #5,074.

What does the Sime surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a nickname meaning "crooked" or "twisted".

What does the Sime map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sime bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.