SYMONS
Symons is an English surname that originates from the personal name Simon, itself derived from the Hebrew name Shim'on, meaning “he has heard” or “he who listens.” The name became common in Christian communities through its biblical association with the apostle Simon, later known as Peter.
As a patronymic surname, the suffix -s indicates “son of,” so Symons literally translates to “son of Simon.” This naming convention was a widespread practice in medieval Britain, where many families identified themselves by the given name of a prominent ancestor.
The earliest surviving record of the name appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Wiltshire, dated 1222, where the spelling Simund is noted under the reign of King Henry, who reigned from 1216 to 1272. A further early reference is found in Essex records of 1308, where a woman named Margery Simondes is mentioned.
Over the centuries the surname has produced numerous variants, including Symonds, Symons, Simmons, Simons, Somons, Siemmons, and Symens. Some of these forms arose through confusion with the Anglo‑Scandinavian name Sigmund and its Norman form Simund.
In contemporary distribution, Symons ranks within the top five hundred surnames in the United Kingdom according to the 2018 Office for National Statistics. In the United States it is listed as the 1979th most frequent surname, while in Canada it appears in modest numbers, especially in the province of Quebec. Australia records Symons as the 983rd most common surname; New Zealand places it within the top four hundred, and South Africa reports fewer than a hundred bearers of the name.
In Ireland, Symons may sometimes be an anglicised rendition of the Gaelic surname Mac an Ghabhann, meaning “son of the blacksmith.” Similar surnames such as Simm and Simmons are also found as variants of this Irish Gaelic name. These surnames are frequently grouped under the broader Simons or Symens clan.
Finally, the name carries a strong historical and religious resonance. Its derivation from a biblical personal name marks it as a witness to the Christian heritage of its bearers, while its long recording in English legal documents evidences a deep-rooted presence in Britain and still echoes through the diaspora across the globe.
Typical given names associated with the Symons surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Carol
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Pamela
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Samons
- Semons
- Seymons
- Simen
- Simens
- Simeon
- Simeons
- Simions
- Simmance
- Simmens
- Simmions
- Simmmons
- Simmon
- Simmonds
- Simmones
- Simmons
- Simnons
- Simoens
- Simon
- Simonds
- Simone
- Simones
- Simons
- Simonson
- Simonsz
- Sinmons
- Skimmons
- Smmons
- Symans
- Symen
- Symens
- Symeon
- Symmon
- Symmonds
- Symmons
- Symns
- Symon
- Symonds
- Symone
- Szymon
- Zimon
- Zymon
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Symons in...
Braille
⠎⠽⠍⠕⠝⠎
Morse
...-.--------....
Semaphore
There are approximately 5,865 people named Symons in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,616th most common surname in Britain. Around 90 in a million people in Britain are named Symons.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Wales
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Welsh
Famous people named Symons
- Kit Symons - Welsh football player and manager
- Red Symons - Australian broadcaster and musician
- Julian Symons - Writer (1912 to 1994)
- Arthur Symons - Poet (1865 to 1945)
- A. J. A. Symons - Writer (1900 to 1941)
- Elizabeth Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean - Baron
- George Symons - RMS Titanic survivor (1888 to 1950)
- Mitchell Symons - Journalist
- Penn Symons - Army officer (1843 to 1899)
- Matt Symons - Rugby union player
- Andy Symons - Rugby union player
- Charles Symons - Chaplain General to the Forces (1885 to 1949)
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.