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

Shimon, 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 Shimon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shimon in America

Shimon is the 33810th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shimon surname appeared 673 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shimon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shimon to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Shimon

The surname SHIMON has its origins in the Hebrew language and can be traced back to ancient Semitic roots. The name is derived from the Hebrew name "Shimon," which means "he has heard" or "he who listens." This name has a biblical connection and is associated with one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who later became the progenitor of one of the tribes of Israel.

The earliest known records of the surname SHIMON can be found in various Middle Eastern communities, particularly those with a Jewish heritage. In ancient times, the name was commonly used among Jewish families living in the region of modern-day Israel and neighboring areas.

During the Middle Ages, the surname SHIMON began to spread across Europe as Jewish communities established themselves in various countries. Historical records from this period, such as census documents and municipal registers, reveal instances of individuals bearing the surname SHIMON.

One notable figure with the surname SHIMON was Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, a prominent Talmudic scholar who lived in the 2nd century CE. He is revered as one of the most influential rabbis in Jewish history and is credited with authoring significant portions of the Zohar, a foundational text of Kabbalah.

In the 12th century, there are mentions of a Jewish philosopher and theologian named Shimon ben Zemah Duran, who was born in Mallorca, Spain, and later lived in Algiers. His scholarly works on Jewish philosophy and halakha (Jewish law) were highly influential during his time.

Another notable individual with the surname SHIMON was Shimon Wiesenthal, a Holocaust survivor and renowned Nazi hunter. Born in 1908 in Austria-Hungary, he dedicated his life to tracking down and bringing to justice former Nazi officials who had committed atrocities during World War II.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contribution of Shimon Ballas, an Israeli poet and writer who was born in 1931 in Tel Aviv. His poetic works, which often explored themes of Israeli identity and the human condition, earned him critical acclaim and numerous literary awards.

The surname SHIMON has also been associated with various geographical locations, particularly in regions with significant Jewish communities. For example, there is a town called Shimon in the Arava Valley of southern Israel, as well as a village named Shimon Hatzadik (Simon the Righteous) near Jerusalem.

It is important to note that while the surname SHIMON has its roots in the Hebrew language and Jewish culture, it has since been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and ethnicities, transcending its original religious and cultural boundaries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shimon

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Shimon.

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 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Shimon 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Shimon has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Shimon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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