Find out how popular the last name Jim's is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jim's.

Jim's, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jim's surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Jim's in America

Jim's is the 135837th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jim's surname appeared 114 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jim's.

The history of the last name Jim's

The surname Jims is believed to have originated from England, likely during the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be a patronymic surname, derived from the given name Jim, which is a diminutive form of James. James itself is derived from the Hebrew name Jacob, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows."

The areas where the surname Jims was originally found include rural regions in southern and western England. Being a patronymic surname, it signified "son of Jim," an indication of a family line descended from an ancestor named Jim. Early records often saw variations in spelling due to phonetic transcription, illiteracy, and regional dialects. Spellings such as Gyms, Gymsse, and Jimms were not uncommon in early manuscripts.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Jims appears in the 1379 Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, where a Robert Jimms is listed. This record indicates that the Jims surname had established itself by the late 14th century. Another reference can be found in the manorial rolls of Hertfordshire from 1423, detailing a tenant named Thomas Gyms, suggesting that the surname had some regional spread.

By the 16th century, instances of the surname became more identifiable in local records and parish registers. In 1521, a marriage entry in the parish records of Wiltshire lists a Agnes Jims, marking a continuity of the surname in local historical accounts. During this period, it was common for such names to appear in legal documents, recording property transactions and parish administration.

The Jims surname also appeared in early colonial American records. One notable figure is John Jims (1633-1689), who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Great Migration of Puritans to New England. His descendants played roles in the colonial administration and local governance, which is well documented in Massachusetts town records.

A significant 18th-century bearer of the surname was William Jims (1702-1774), who lived in Norfolk. Records from Norfolk County show him as a landowner and his involvement in local commerce. Although not widely famous, his contributions to local economic activities are frequently mentioned in trade documents of the era.

Toward the 19th century, the name continued to disperse within England and abroad, including Canada and Australia. Eliza Jims (1835-1902) was another notable bearer of the surname, remembered in Tasmanian history as a pioneering settler. Her diaries, preserved in the state archives, offer an insightful glimpse into the life of early Australian settlers.

Throughout history, the surname Jims reflects a rich tapestry of local heritage, migration, and adaptation, rooted deeply within English patronymic traditions and echoed in historical records across different regions and centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jim's

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jim's.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jim's was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jim's was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jim's, please contact us.

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