NameCensus.

UK surname

Simpson

Derived from "son of Sim," Sim being a medieval form of Simon, meaning "he has heard."

In the 1881 census there were 52,391 people recorded with the Simpson surname, ranking it #52 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 71,876, ranked #59, down from #52 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, County Durham and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Simpson is 73,466 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.2%.

1881 census count

52,391

Ranked #52

Modern count

71,876

2016, ranked #59

Peak year

2010

73,466 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Simpson had 52,391 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #52 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 71,876 in 2016, ranked #59.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 64,921 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Simpson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Simpson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Simpson 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 34,912 #53
1861 historical 37,470 #52
1881 historical 52,391 #52
1891 historical 57,468 #52
1901 historical 64,921 #52
1911 historical 53,861 #66
1997 modern 69,266 #60
1998 modern 71,993 #60
1999 modern 72,493 #60
2000 modern 72,172 #60
2001 modern 70,308 #60
2002 modern 71,905 #60
2003 modern 70,161 #60
2004 modern 70,212 #60
2005 modern 69,493 #59
2006 modern 69,545 #59
2007 modern 69,988 #59
2008 modern 70,322 #60
2009 modern 72,041 #60
2010 modern 73,466 #60
2011 modern 72,211 #61
2012 modern 70,710 #61
2013 modern 72,113 #61
2014 modern 72,749 #60
2015 modern 72,146 #60
2016 modern 71,876 #59

Geography

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Where Simpsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Leeds and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, County Durham, Harrogate, Ryedale and North and East Isles. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 001 Selby
2 County Durham 064 County Durham
3 Harrogate 006 Harrogate
4 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
5 North and East Isles Shetland Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Simpson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Simpson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Simpson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Simpson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Simpson 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

Simpson is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Simpson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Simpson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Simpson

The surname Simpson is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the old English name "Simund", which means "son of Simond". This name was later anglicized to become Simon or Simson.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Simpson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a Richard Simondesun is mentioned. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a John Simundesone is listed in Yorkshire.

During the Middle Ages, the name Simpson began to appear in various records and manuscripts across England. In the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279, a William Symundesone is recorded. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327 mention a John Simundesone.

The name Simpson is also linked to several place names in England, such as Simpson in Buckinghamshire and Simpson's Fold in Lancashire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname Simpson who either lived in or owned land in these areas.

Some notable individuals with the surname Simpson throughout history include:

1. Thomas Simpson (1710-1761), an English mathematician and inventor of the Simpson's Rule for numerical integration. 2. Sir James Young Simpson (1811-1870), a Scottish obstetrician and pioneer in the use of chloroform as an anesthetic during childbirth. 3. Wallis Simpson (1896-1986), the American divorcée whose relationship with King Edward VIII led to his abdication in 1936. 4. O.J. Simpson (born 1947), the American former football player and actor, who was famously acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1995. 5. Jessica Simpson (born 1980), the American singer, actress, and fashion designer.

While the name Simpson can be found across various regions of England, it was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland during the medieval and early modern periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Simpson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Simpson 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. Yorkshire leads with 8,735 Simpsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 8,735 1.73x
Lancashire 6,355 1.05x
Middlesex 3,178 0.62x
Durham 3,126 2.06x
Lanarkshire 2,334 1.41x
Aberdeenshire 1,952 4.12x
Staffordshire 1,784 1.03x
Midlothian 1,586 2.32x
Northumberland 1,511 1.99x
Surrey 1,456 0.58x
Fife 1,361 4.50x
Lincolnshire 1,355 1.66x
Nottinghamshire 1,177 1.71x
Angus 1,170 2.47x
Cheshire 966 0.86x
Derbyshire 939 1.17x
Cumberland 847 1.93x
Kent 749 0.43x
Suffolk 743 1.19x
Warwickshire 731 0.57x
Essex 629 0.62x
Leicestershire 612 1.08x
Hampshire 580 0.55x
Banffshire 552 5.21x
Morayshire 525 6.61x
Renfrewshire 497 1.26x
Ayrshire 439 1.15x
Stirlingshire 359 1.90x
Westmorland 351 3.13x
Perthshire 311 1.36x
Northamptonshire 296 0.62x
Shropshire 276 0.63x
Sussex 273 0.32x
Worcestershire 268 0.40x
Norfolk 252 0.32x
Berkshire 221 0.58x
Caithness 213 3.04x
Gloucestershire 204 0.20x
West Lothian 196 2.55x
Berwickshire 193 3.12x
Roxburghshire 177 1.91x
Kincardineshire 175 2.81x
Devon 168 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 165 0.51x
Hertfordshire 147 0.42x
Glamorgan 133 0.15x
Clackmannanshire 126 2.99x
Ross-shire 125 0.89x
Bedfordshire 122 0.46x
Oxfordshire 109 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 106 0.77x
Somerset 101 0.12x
Selkirkshire 99 2.14x
East Lothian 95 1.40x
Buckinghamshire 85 0.28x
Wigtownshire 85 1.25x
Wiltshire 82 0.18x
Kinross-shire 79 6.12x
Orkney 73 1.30x
Shetland 67 1.28x
Inverness-shire 64 0.42x
Dumfriesshire 54 0.48x
Argyllshire 53 0.37x
Isle of Man 51 0.54x
Nairnshire 44 2.82x
Cornwall 41 0.07x
Denbighshire 41 0.21x
Peeblesshire 40 1.66x
Royal Navy 39 0.64x
Herefordshire 35 0.17x
Kirkcudbrightshire 33 0.45x
Sutherland 32 0.81x
Huntingdonshire 30 0.30x
Dorset 29 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 26 0.16x
Buteshire 22 0.71x
Monmouthshire 20 0.05x
Rutland 19 0.51x
Channel Islands 18 0.12x
Carmarthenshire 16 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.05x
Cardiganshire 11 0.09x
Flintshire 10 0.07x
Anglesey 8 0.09x
Brecknockshire 4 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.03x
Radnorshire 2 0.05x
Merionethshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 679 Simpsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.47x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 679 2.47x
Barony 613 1.47x
Govan 566 1.38x
Stoke Upon Trent 530 2.90x
Leeds 526 1.84x
Glasgow 396 1.35x
Lambeth 364 0.82x
Dundee 329 1.86x
Aberdeen Old Machar 327 3.31x
Camberwell 313 0.96x
Liverpool 313 0.85x
St Pancras London 292 0.71x
Preston 290 1.79x
Islington London 283 0.57x
Leicester St Margaret 252 1.82x
Nottingham St Mary 252 1.41x
Bradford 248 2.02x
Dunfermline 236 5.07x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 234 2.64x
Oldham 231 1.18x
Bishopwearmouth 228 1.75x
Toxteth Park 222 1.08x
Aston 215 0.61x
Stockton On Tees 208 2.84x
Manchester 198 0.73x
Birmingham 196 0.46x
Lancaster 192 5.32x
St Marylebone London 190 0.70x
Sheffield 189 1.17x
Liff Benvie 182 2.53x
Darlington 181 3.08x
Kensington London 180 0.63x
West Derby 179 1.01x
Hackney London 166 0.58x
Holy Trinity 165 1.35x
Forfar 158 6.16x
Gateshead 158 1.39x
Everton 157 0.81x
Middlesbrough 157 2.38x
Habergham Eaves 150 2.71x
Mile End Old Town 145 1.80x
West Ham 142 0.64x
Keighley 140 2.59x
Spotland 140 2.08x
Burnley 139 2.72x
Brightside Bierlow 136 1.37x
Falkirk 136 3.08x
Barrow In Furness 135 1.64x
Elgin 133 8.61x
South Leith 129 1.67x
Bury 127 1.83x
Castleton 127 2.10x
Elswick 127 2.09x
Clerkenwell London 126 1.04x
Newington 126 0.67x
Hammersmith London 125 0.99x
Manningham 124 1.99x
Scarborough 124 2.70x
Newcastle On Tyne St 123 3.12x
New Monkland 122 2.50x
Paddington London 120 0.64x
Sculcoates 120 1.49x
Hulme 118 0.93x
Westgate 117 2.49x
Dysart 116 5.69x
Salford 116 0.65x
Blackburn 113 0.70x
Peterhead 113 4.52x
Chadderton 109 3.68x
West Greenock 108 1.52x
Accrington 105 1.90x
Battersea 105 0.56x
Heworth 104 3.47x
Kirkdale 103 1.01x
Nether Hallam 103 1.50x
Stranton 102 1.99x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 100 2.12x
Deptford St Paul 100 0.74x
Shoreditch London 100 0.45x
Chelsea London 99 0.64x
Ecclesall Bierlow 99 0.96x
Wemyss 99 7.74x
Burslem 98 1.98x
Lewisham 98 1.05x
Tonge 98 7.70x
Halifax 97 1.30x
Keith 95 8.41x
St George Hanover 94 1.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2,896
Elizabeth 1,674
Sarah 1,442
Jane 959
Ann 776
Annie 632
Margaret 617
Alice 524
Hannah 519
Eliza 512
Emma 510
Ellen 498
Martha 354
Emily 349
Isabella 269
Harriet 234
Maria 227
Ada 224
Fanny 208
Edith 199
Catherine 188
Florence 187
Charlotte 186
Louisa 178
Anne 165
Frances 163
Agnes 159
Clara 152
Caroline 148
Kate 143
Lucy 138
Esther 110
Harriett 107
Eleanor 97
Susan 97
Jessie 96
Amelia 94
Rebecca 93
Matilda 87
Gertrude 82
Rose 75
Elizth. 71
Julia 71
Susannah 68
Sophia 66
Ethel 63
Betsy 62
Ruth 58
Minnie 56
Bertha 54

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2,506
William 2,321
Thomas 1,470
George 1,343
James 1,245
Joseph 915
Henry 729
Charles 718
Robert 692
Arthur 372
Edward 361
Samuel 340
Alfred 324
Richard 324
Walter 264
Frederick 243
Harry 226
David 185
Albert 176
Herbert 165
Francis 132
Wm. 120
Frank 113
Fred 108
Ernest 106
Benjamin 96
Tom 96
Isaac 94
Edwin 92
Thos. 87
Alexander 74
Christopher 70
Ralph 69
Peter 64
Matthew 56
Geo. 51
Stephen 50
Andrew 46
Jonathan 45
Mark 45
Daniel 43
Jno. 43
Percy 40
Edmund 39
Robt. 38
Fredk. 33
Leonard 32
Philip 31
Anthony 29
Willie 29

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Simpson households.

FAQ

Simpson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Simpson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52,391 people were recorded with the Simpson surname. That placed it at #52 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Simpson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 71,876 in 2016. That gives Simpson a modern rank of #59.

What does the Simpson surname mean?

Derived from "son of Sim," Sim being a medieval form of Simon, meaning "he has heard."

What does the Simpson map show?

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