NameCensus.

UK surname

Simkin

A diminutive form of the given name Simon.

In the 1881 census there were 630 people recorded with the Simkin surname, ranking it #5,630 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 592, ranked #8,814, down from #5,630 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccleshall, Darlaston and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Staffordshire, Stafford and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Simkin is 758 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.0%.

1881 census count

630

Ranked #5,630

Modern count

592

2016, ranked #8,814

Peak year

1999

758 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Simkin had 630 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,630 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 592 in 2016, ranked #8,814.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 748 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Simkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Simkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Simkin 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 644 #4,032
1861 historical 357 #7,155
1881 historical 630 #5,630
1891 historical 625 #6,193
1901 historical 648 #6,656
1911 historical 748 #5,751
1997 modern 676 #7,448
1998 modern 746 #7,135
1999 modern 758 #7,087
2000 modern 750 #7,101
2001 modern 720 #7,204
2002 modern 715 #7,388
2003 modern 685 #7,516
2004 modern 664 #7,716
2005 modern 642 #7,841
2006 modern 665 #7,678
2007 modern 648 #7,883
2008 modern 631 #8,096
2009 modern 629 #8,289
2010 modern 646 #8,285
2011 modern 644 #8,215
2012 modern 605 #8,550
2013 modern 618 #8,538
2014 modern 615 #8,628
2015 modern 589 #8,850
2016 modern 592 #8,814

Geography

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Where Simkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccleshall, Darlaston, London parishes, Wednesbury and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Staffordshire, Stafford and Huntingdonshire. 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 Eccleshall Staffordshire
2 Darlaston Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Staffordshire 007 South Staffordshire
2 Stafford 005 Stafford
3 Stafford 016 Stafford
4 South Staffordshire 006 South Staffordshire
5 Huntingdonshire 016 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Simkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Simkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Simkin, 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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Simkin is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Simkin is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Simkin falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Simkin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Simkin

The surname Simkin is of English origin and derives from the medieval personal name Simkin, which was a diminutive form of the name Simon. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Simkin was a common nickname used in medieval times, often stemming from the biblical name Simon. It was sometimes spelled as Symkyn or Simekyn in early records. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, which mentions a William Simkyn.

In the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, there is a reference to a John Simekyn, while the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1301 list a Thomas Simkyn. These early records suggest that the name was well-established in various parts of England by the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

The Simkin surname can also be traced back to place names like Simkin Field in Yorkshire and Simkin's Cross in Derbyshire. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname Simkin who lived or owned land in those areas.

Notable historical figures with the surname Simkin include:

1. John Simkin (c. 1315-1389), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Chancellor of the University of Oxford. 2. William Simkin (c. 1450-1520), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York during the 16th century. 3. Thomas Simkin (c. 1520-1592), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 4. Elizabeth Simkin (c. 1605-1672), a English Puritan writer and religious activist who published several works on spiritual matters. 5. Richard Simkin (c. 1670-1738), a renowned architect and stonemason who worked on numerous churches and buildings in the county of Gloucestershire.

While the Simkin surname is not as common today as it once was, it remains an integral part of English genealogical history, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era and the widespread use of diminutive nicknames derived from biblical names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Simkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Simkin 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. Staffordshire leads with 205 Simkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.91x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 205 9.91x
Leicestershire 53 7.80x
Cambridgeshire 51 13.14x
Lancashire 51 0.70x
Suffolk 46 6.17x
Middlesex 41 0.67x
Warwickshire 29 1.88x
Nottinghamshire 27 3.27x
Surrey 18 0.60x
Kent 16 0.77x
Derbyshire 15 1.56x
Sussex 15 1.45x
Worcestershire 14 1.75x
Gloucestershire 8 0.67x
Herefordshire 6 2.39x
Yorkshire 6 0.10x
Glamorgan 5 0.47x
Northamptonshire 5 0.87x
Durham 4 0.22x
Essex 4 0.33x
Shropshire 4 0.76x
Cheshire 3 0.22x
Bedfordshire 1 0.32x
Devon 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlaston in Staffordshire leads with 45 Simkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 157.45x.

Place Total Index
Darlaston 45 157.45x
Hallaton 41 2715.23x
Wednesbury 31 59.98x
West Bromwich 19 16.05x
Eccleshall 16 204.08x
Chevington 13 1111.11x
Radford 12 28.61x
Walsall Borough 12 74.77x
Waterbeach 12 379.75x
Wolverhampton 12 7.55x
Chelsea London 11 5.96x
Deptford St Paul 11 6.82x
Lambeth 11 2.06x
Wednesfield 11 36.15x
West Wickham 11 1145.83x
Aspull 9 52.63x
Beswick 9 48.41x
Birmingham 9 1.75x
Sedgley 9 11.72x
Snenton 9 27.74x
St Marylebone London 9 2.75x
Sutton Coldfield 9 55.42x
Stapenhill 8 56.02x
Cottenham 7 135.66x
Gnosall 7 140.28x
Islington London 7 1.18x
Newington 7 3.09x
Preston 7 3.60x
Sudbury St Peter 7 171.15x
Wickhambrook 7 250.00x
Aston 6 1.41x
Brockton 6 1276.60x
Clifford 6 361.45x
Edmondthorpe 6 1363.64x
Hastings St Clement 6 61.73x
Horseheath 6 526.32x
Manchester 6 1.84x
Redmarley 6 285.71x
Sutton 6 186.34x
Tettenhall 6 47.47x
Adbaston 5 442.48x
Ash Next Ridley 5 375.94x
Cannock 5 13.86x
Eastbourne 5 10.52x
Leamington Priors 5 13.15x
Linton 5 135.50x
Oldbury 5 12.70x
St George In East 5 12.00x
Stanton 5 282.49x
Walsall Foreign 5 4.68x
West Derby 5 2.35x
Westbury On Severn East 5 18.41x
Audley 4 19.55x
Burtonwood 4 149.81x
Cardiff St John 4 11.48x
Denby 4 136.52x
Erringden 4 102.04x
Weedon Beck 4 96.85x
Barrow 3 157.07x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 15.05x
Castleton 3 4.13x
Cheltenham 3 3.24x
Ditchling 3 106.76x
Fulham London 3 3.38x
Hargrave 3 340.91x
Runcorn 3 9.62x
Stanhope 3 15.94x
Stanton Newhall 3 97.72x
Stapleford 3 256.41x
Yardley 3 14.66x
Bagworth 2 157.48x
Barrow 2 277.78x
Bishops Castle In 2 64.72x
Carlton 2 21.23x
Colchester St Peter 2 41.32x
Everton 2 0.86x
Great Bowden 2 32.36x
Seighford 2 121.21x
Stradishall 2 250.00x
Weston Jones 2 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Sarah 29
Elizabeth 22
Ann 16
Emma 12
Ellen 10
Eliza 9
Annie 8
Florence 8
Jane 8
Ada 6
Alice 6
Hannah 6
Margaret 6
Harriet 5
Martha 5
Agnes 4
Emily 4
Louisa 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Caroline 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Maud 3
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Henrietta 2
Julia 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Charlott 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Eunich 1
Evelyn 1
Hettie 1
Isabella 1
K.E. 1
Kate 1
Katharine 1
Lawrence 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 32
Thomas 22
Samuel 17
George 15
James 15
Joseph 15
Henry 13
Arthur 8
Edward 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Benjamin 5
Charles 5
Edwin 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Frank 4
Richard 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Elijah 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Leonard 3
Thos. 3
Aaron 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Luke 2
Oliver 2
Peter 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Andrew 1
Clark 1
Claudius 1
Colin 1
Cornelius 1
Elisha 1
Emily 1
Emmanuel 1
Francis 1
Freddy 1
Justin 1
Lachanah 1
Lewis 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Simkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Simkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 630 people were recorded with the Simkin surname. That placed it at #5,630 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Simkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 592 in 2016. That gives Simkin a modern rank of #8,814.

What does the Simkin surname mean?

A diminutive form of the given name Simon.

What does the Simkin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Simkin 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.