2000
#6,376
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,915
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.82
Rare Last name
Sim
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "narrow" or "straight" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,348 Americans carry the last name Sim. That puts it at #5,257 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 46,646 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sim surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sim with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.3K
1 in 46,646
Census rank
#5,257
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,408 bearers of the surname Sim in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5257th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sim, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.2%. The next largest groups are White (22.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sim
The surname Sim has its origins in Scotland, emerging around the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sim," which means "flat or level ground." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived on or near a flat or level area of land.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Sim can be found in various Scottish records and charters from the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the earliest known references is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This document includes the name Symone Sym.
During the 13th century, the name Sim also appeared in various forms, such as Syme, Syme, and Symon. These variations likely stemmed from the Scots pronunciation of the name, as well as the influence of other languages like Norman French.
In the 14th century, the name Sim began to appear in connection with various place names in Scotland. For example, there are references to individuals from places like Symington and Symondstoun (now known as Symington in South Ayrshire).
One of the earliest known bearers of the name Sim was Sir John Sym, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the late 14th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Robert III of Scotland.
Another notable individual with the surname Sim was Robert Simson, a renowned Scottish mathematician and geometer who lived from 1687 to 1768. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and geometry and is best known for his work on the properties of conic sections.
In the 17th century, the name Sim also gained prominence in the Scottish Borders region. One notable figure from this area was John Sim, a minister and theologian who lived from 1616 to 1688. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and played a significant role in the religious and political conflicts of his time.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Sim continued to be found throughout Scotland, particularly in areas like Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and the Scottish Borders. Several notable individuals bearing this name emerged during this period, including Sir John Sim, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived from 1759 to 1831.
Another notable figure was William Sim, a Scottish artist and engraver who lived from 1791 to 1862. He was known for his intricate engravings of architectural and landscape subjects, and his work was highly regarded in his time.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Sim also spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish migration and exploration. Today, the name can be found in various countries, but its roots can be traced back to its Scottish origins and the flat or level ground that likely inspired its initial use.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sim
Among Census respondents with the surname Sim, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.2%. The next largest groups are White (22.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Sim bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sim surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.2% · 4,497
- White22.3% · 1,427
- Two or more races3.4% · 216
- Black or African American2.1% · 137
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 124
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sim
Sim appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,732
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,047
+1,132 bearers (+23.0%)
Per 100,000 2.05
Rank movement Up 644 places
2020
#5,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,408
+361 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 2.14
Rank movement Up 475 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,376 | 4,915 | 1.82 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,732 | 6,047 | 2.05 | +1,132 bearers (+23.0%) | Up 644 places |
| 2020 | #5,257 | 6,408 | 2.14 | +361 bearers (+6.0%) | Up 475 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sim surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,732 | #5,257 | 8.3% |
| Count | 6,047 | 6,408 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.05 | 2.14 | 4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sim bearers went from 6,047 to 6,408 (+6.0% change). The surname moved up 475 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,732 to #5,257.
FAQ
Sim surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sim?
Name Census estimates that about 7,348 living Americans carry the surname Sim. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 46,646 residents.
How common is Sim?
Sim ranks #5,257 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,408 people with the surname Sim. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,348), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Sim.
Has Sim become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sim went from 6,047 recorded bearers to 6,408. That is an increase of 361 (+6.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,732 to #5,257.
What does the Census say about the background of Sim?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sim, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.2%. The next largest groups are White (22.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sim in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.2% (4,497 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sim appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.2%), White (22.3%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sim (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sim mean?
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "narrow" or "straight" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sim (2.14 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Sim?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Sim on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.