SIMMONS
The surname Simmons is a patronymic family name of English provenance, signifying “son of Simon”. Its etymology traces back to the personal name Simon, itself derived from the Hebrew Shim’on meaning “he has heard”. The Hebrew element entered the British Isles through Norman influence after the Conquest of 1066, when the name was introduced into England and subsequently adapted into several variants such as Simons, Simmons and Simmonds.
In medieval England the formation of surnames by adding the suffix “‑son” to a forename was a common practice, and Simmons follows this pattern. The name Simon was popular in the Middle Ages, partly because of its biblical association with the apostle Simon Peter, and also because of the Greek by‑name Simon (Simos) meaning “snub‑nosed”. Records from the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379 record a Robertus Symmes, and a Johannes Symson appears in the same era, illustrating the early orthographic diversity of the surname.
Historical documentation shows the name’s early appearance in the Danelaw records of London, where William le Piz Simon is listed circa 1170. Later instances include the 1580 marriage of Gyles Symons at St. Andrews by the Wardrobe, the christening of Grace Simons in Putney in 1640, and the eminent physician Samuel Foart Simmons (1750‑1813), who attended King George II.
Thus, the surname Simmons reflects a synthesis of English and Hebrew linguistic heritage, rooted in the Christian cultural milieu of the British Isles, and exemplifies the patronymic naming tradition that characterised medieval English society.
Typical given names associated with the Simmons surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Angela
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Janet
- Jean
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Simmonds
- Symons
- Simons
- Symonds
- Simon
- Simonds
- Simonson
- Simmens
- Simens
- Simmen
- Simmions
- Simeon
- Simen
- Semmons
- Simmins
- Sammons
- Siemons
- Simmance
- Simmon
- Shimmons
- Simeons
- Simions
- Simmmons
- Simmoms
- Simmone
- Simmones
- Simnons
- Simoens
- Simones
- Simonis
- Simonsz
- Sinmons
- Skimmons
- Smmons
- Symens
- Symmon
- Symmonds
- Symmons
- Symon
- Zimon
- Simmans
- Simmoads
- Simmods
- Simmond
- Simmunds
- Simns
- Simoes
- Simone
- Simos
- Simpkins
- Sommons
- Summons
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Simmons in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Simmons are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 24,882 people named Simmons in the UK. That makes it the 329th most common surname in Britain. Around 382 in a million people in Britain are named Simmons.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Simmons
- Jean Simmons - -American actress (1929 to 2010)
- J. K. Simmons - American actor
- Not to be confused with Kyle Simmons - Singer-songwriter
- Ben Simmons - Australian basketball player
- Earl Simmons - American rapper and actor from New York
- Richard Simmons - American exercise instructor
- Dawn Langley Simmons - Writer (1937 to 2000)
- Lili Simmons - American actress and model
- Russell Simmons - American entrepreneur, producer and author
- Chris Simmons - Actor
- Julian Simmons - Northern Irish broadcaster
- Kadamba Simmons - Actor-model (1974 to 1998)
- Keir Simmons - Journalist
- Bob Simmons - Stunt man (1923 to 1987)
- Barry Simmons - Quiz show contestant
- Cat Simmons - Actress
- Michelle Simmons - -Australian quantum physicist
- Charles Simmons - Gymnast (1885 to 1945)
- Andrew Simmons - Professional wrestler
- Mika Simmons - Actor
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.