2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Simers
A surname derived from a Flemish occupational name for a maker of ornamental lacework or trimmings.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Simers. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Simers 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.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Simers in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Simers, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Simers
The surname SIMERS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name referring to a summer pasture or meadow. The name may have evolved from the Old English word "sumor," meaning summer, or the Middle English word "somer," which also meant summer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SIMERS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1191, where it appears as "Symerus." This suggests that the name had already established itself by the late 12th century.
Another early reference to the name SIMERS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1275, where it is recorded as "Sumers." This spelling variation further supports the theory that the name is derived from the Old English word for summer.
In the 14th century, the surname SIMERS appeared in various records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1317, where it is spelled "Symers." This indicates that the name had spread to different regions of England by this time.
One notable figure in history bearing the surname SIMERS was John Simers, born in 1458 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his family's coat of arms is recorded in the Herald's Visitations of the 16th century.
Another individual of historical significance was William Simers, born in 1612 in Warwickshire, England. He was a Puritan clergyman and author, known for his writings on religious subjects during the English Civil War period.
In the 18th century, a prominent bearer of the surname SIMERS was Robert Simers, born in 1732 in Oxfordshire, England. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to various charitable causes in his local community.
The surname SIMERS also has connections to place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Simers in Gloucestershire, which may have been the original location associated with the surname.
Overall, the surname SIMERS has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in the English language and associated with various regions and notable individuals throughout the medieval and early modern periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Simers
Among Census respondents with the surname Simers, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Simers 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 Simers surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 102
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Simers
Simers 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,088 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,268 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 12,088 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 3,268 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 Simers 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 | #154,907 | #151,639 | 2.1% |
| Count | 105 | 107 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Simers bearers went from 105 to 107 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 3,268 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #151,639.
FAQ
Simers surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Simers?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Simers. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Simers?
Simers ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Simers. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Simers.
Has Simers become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Simers went from 105 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Simers?
Among Census respondents with the surname Simers, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Simers in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Simers appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Simers (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 Simers mean?
A surname derived from a Flemish occupational name for a maker of ornamental lacework or trimmings. 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 Simers (0.04 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 common is the surname Simers?
You can see how common the surname Simers is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.