NameCensus.

UK surname

Simon

A surname derived from the Hebrew name Shim'on, meaning "he has heard" or "listening."

In the 1881 census there were 1,714 people recorded with the Simon surname, ranking it #2,513 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,649, ranked #1,463, up from #2,513 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Barnet and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Simon is 4,649 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 171.2%.

1881 census count

1,714

Ranked #2,513

Modern count

4,649

2016, ranked #1,463

Peak year

2016

4,649 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Simon had 1,714 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,513 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,649 in 2016, ranked #1,463.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,356 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Simon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Simon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Simon 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 1,362 #2,110
1861 historical 1,883 #1,537
1881 historical 1,714 #2,513
1891 historical 2,096 #2,215
1901 historical 2,264 #2,391
1911 historical 2,356 #2,171
1997 modern 3,436 #1,886
1998 modern 3,542 #1,904
1999 modern 3,638 #1,866
2000 modern 3,661 #1,845
2001 modern 3,496 #1,894
2002 modern 3,601 #1,882
2003 modern 3,560 #1,854
2004 modern 3,651 #1,816
2005 modern 3,683 #1,770
2006 modern 3,777 #1,731
2007 modern 3,937 #1,674
2008 modern 3,972 #1,670
2009 modern 4,119 #1,651
2010 modern 4,403 #1,578
2011 modern 4,343 #1,577
2012 modern 4,449 #1,518
2013 modern 4,568 #1,505
2014 modern 4,636 #1,492
2015 modern 4,602 #1,487
2016 modern 4,649 #1,463

Geography

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Where Simons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Toxteth Park, Gateshead and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Barnet, Carmarthenshire, Salford and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 003 Flintshire
2 Barnet 033 Barnet
3 Carmarthenshire 025 Carmarthenshire
4 Salford 010 Salford
5 Kensington and Chelsea 010 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Simon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Simon

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Simon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Simon 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Simon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Simon is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Simon falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Simon 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 Simon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Simon

The surname Simon is of Greek origin, derived from the personal name Simon, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Shimon, meaning "he has heard." The name was introduced into Europe through Biblical texts and the spread of Christianity.

The name Simon can be traced back to ancient Greek records and is mentioned in the New Testament as the name of one of Jesus' apostles, Simon Peter. It was later adopted as a common given name among early Christians, particularly in regions with strong Greek cultural influences.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Simon can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book contains entries for individuals with the name Simon, indicating its presence in England during the Norman period.

In the 12th century, a notable figure with the surname Simon was Simon de Montfort, a French nobleman and military leader born around 1165. He played a significant role in the Albigensian Crusade and later became the Earl of Leicester in England.

Another historical figure bearing the surname Simon was Simon Langton, an English Cardinal born around 1155. He was an influential figure in the Catholic Church and played a role in the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

In the 14th century, Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1375 to 1381, was a prominent figure during the Peasants' Revolt in England. He was born around 1316 and was eventually killed by rebels during the uprising.

During the Renaissance period, Simon Grynaeus, a German scholar and theologian born in 1493, made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek texts and the promotion of humanism.

In the 17th century, Simon Vouet, a French painter born in 1590, was a leading figure in the Baroque style and influenced the development of French painting through his works and teachings.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Simon, reflecting the long-standing presence and significance of this name across various regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Simon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Simon 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. Channel Islands leads with 259 Simons recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.48x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 259 45.48x
Lancashire 251 1.10x
Middlesex 190 0.99x
Yorkshire 131 0.69x
Flintshire 115 22.26x
Carmarthenshire 92 11.36x
Denbighshire 89 12.26x
Glamorgan 88 2.63x
Cheshire 84 1.98x
Lincolnshire 61 1.99x
Cumberland 60 3.63x
Northumberland 53 1.85x
Surrey 50 0.53x
Shropshire 44 2.65x
Durham 40 0.70x
Aberdeenshire 28 1.57x
Fife 25 2.20x
Angus 24 1.35x
Lanarkshire 21 0.34x
Worcestershire 19 0.76x
Essex 17 0.45x
Morayshire 17 5.69x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.62x
Cardiganshire 15 3.20x
Monmouthshire 15 1.08x
Kent 14 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 14 2.29x
Hampshire 13 0.33x
Bedfordshire 11 1.11x
Montgomeryshire 11 2.50x
Derbyshire 9 0.30x
Devon 8 0.20x
Staffordshire 8 0.12x
Warwickshire 8 0.17x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.90x
Midlothian 7 0.27x
Brecknockshire 5 1.30x
Gloucestershire 5 0.13x
Inverness-shire 5 0.87x
Renfrewshire 5 0.34x
Westmorland 5 1.18x
Banffshire 4 1.00x
Merionethshire 4 1.14x
Norfolk 4 0.14x
Ross-shire 3 0.57x
Sussex 3 0.09x
Cornwall 2 0.09x
Leicestershire 2 0.09x
Northamptonshire 2 0.11x
Ayrshire 1 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.26x
Perthshire 1 0.12x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Anne in Channel Islands leads with 65 Simons recorded in 1881 and an index of 639.13x.

Place Total Index
St Anne 65 639.13x
Everton 31 4.27x
Mold 31 66.15x
St John 31 285.19x
St Helier 30 16.18x
Leeds 27 2.51x
Monks Coppenhall 27 16.87x
Birkenhead 26 7.69x
Spitalfields London 26 17.99x
Brymbo 25 98.89x
Stoke Newington London 25 16.70x
West Derby 25 3.75x
Flint 22 75.01x
Llanelly 21 11.51x
St Peter Port 21 19.94x
Liverpool 20 1.44x
Ruthin 20 269.18x
St Pancras London 20 1.29x
St Saviour 20 63.53x
St Sampson 18 70.15x
Mile End Old Town 17 5.60x
St Maryde Castro 17 121.43x
St Peterinthe Wood 17 220.21x
Whitford 17 63.50x
Camberwell 16 1.30x
Dundee 16 2.41x
Cramlington 15 39.70x
Llangennech 15 115.65x
Merthyr Tydfil 15 4.66x
Ruabon 14 14.03x
Toxteth Park 14 1.81x
Barrow In Furness 13 4.19x
Eglwysilan 13 22.39x
Kensington London 13 1.22x
Paddington London 13 1.84x
Abergwilly 12 90.23x
St Brelade 12 81.91x
St Peter 12 73.04x
Barony 11 0.70x
Cwmdu 11 26.99x
Hetton Le Hole 11 15.18x
Preston Quarter 11 23.73x
Cheetham 10 5.88x
Congleton 10 13.64x
Egremont 10 25.35x
Goxhill 10 132.10x
Hackney London 10 0.93x
Hodnet 10 77.10x
Lambeth 10 0.60x
Pentyrch 10 72.36x
Webheath 10 223.71x
Westgate 10 5.65x
Winterton 10 94.79x
Forgue 9 56.32x
Immingham 9 508.47x
Kemnay 9 83.41x
Manningham 9 3.84x
Moss Side 9 7.50x
Ratcliffe London 9 8.48x
Ystradyfodwg 9 3.07x
Adderley 8 280.70x
Birkdale 8 13.86x
Bishopwearmouth 8 1.63x
Chester St Oswald 8 10.42x
Dewsbury 8 4.10x
Gomersal 8 9.00x
Gorbals 8 21.69x
Hornsey 8 3.29x
Liversedge 8 9.44x
Macclesfield 8 4.24x
Moreton Say 8 186.92x
Newton By Toft 8 1403.51x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.19x
Over Darwen 8 4.39x
Pendleton In Salford 8 2.94x
Seaton 8 41.45x
Southampton St Mary 8 3.23x
Tupton 8 88.50x
Uchayndre 8 298.51x
Widnes 8 4.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 122
Elizabeth 78
Sarah 58
Ann 55
Jane 49
Margaret 38
Ellen 29
Annie 22
Hannah 17
Eliza 16
Martha 16
Louisa 14
Anne 13
Alice 12
Catherine 12
Agnes 11
Emma 10
Rachel 10
Emily 9
Harriet 9
Maria 9
Matilda 8
Amelia 7
Eleanor 7
Frances 7
Susan 7
Caroline 6
Charlotte 6
Jessie 6
Clara 5
Esther 5
Florence 5
Kate 5
Sophia 5
Ada 4
Anna 4
Dinah 4
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Harriett 4
Helen 4
Julia 4
Marie 4
Ruth 4
Amy 3
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Betsy 3
Edith 3
May 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 155
William 93
Thomas 75
George 38
Charles 33
James 29
Robert 29
Joseph 27
Henry 25
David 23
Edward 16
Alfred 14
Richard 14
Frederick 13
Abraham 10
Albert 9
Daniel 9
Philip 9
Arthur 8
Isaac 8
Louis 8
Nicholas 8
Peter 8
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Wm. 6
Josiah 5
Edwin 4
Elie 4
Evan 4
Hugh 4
Jacob 4
Lewis 4
Edmund 3
Heinrich 3
Jeremiah 3
Julius 3
Morgan 3
Simon 3
Thos. 3
Archie 2
Augustus 2
Clement 2
Francis 2
Leon 2
Levi 2
Mascinidia 2
Morris 2

FAQ

Simon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Simon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,714 people were recorded with the Simon surname. That placed it at #2,513 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Simon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,649 in 2016. That gives Simon a modern rank of #1,463.

What does the Simon surname mean?

A surname derived from the Hebrew name Shim'on, meaning "he has heard" or "listening."

What does the Simon map show?

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