2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Simile
An Italian surname derived from the noun "simile", meaning similar or resembling.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Simile. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Simile 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Simile in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Simile, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Simile
The surname "SIMILE" is believed to have originated in Italy, likely during the Renaissance period between the 14th and 17th centuries. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word "similis," meaning "similar" or "resembling." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who resembled a particular person or shared certain physical characteristics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SIMILE" can be found in the Florentine archives from the mid-15th century, where it appears as "Simile." This spelling variation indicates that the name was subject to minor changes over time, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in those early days.
In the 16th century, the name "SIMILE" gained prominence in the region of Tuscany, particularly in the cities of Florence and Siena. It is worth noting that some of the earliest known bearers of this surname hailed from these areas, suggesting a strong connection between the name and the Tuscan region.
One notable individual with the surname "SIMILE" was Giovanni Battista Simile, a renowned artist and sculptor who lived in Florence during the late 16th century (c. 1550-1620). His works can still be admired in various churches and museums throughout Italy, showcasing the artistic legacy associated with this surname.
Another prominent figure was Cesare Simile, a philosopher and writer from Siena who lived in the 17th century (c. 1610-1680). His treatises on ethics and moral philosophy were widely circulated and influenced the intellectual discourse of his time.
Moving into the 18th century, the name "SIMILE" appeared in historical records from the city of Naples, where a family of merchants and traders bearing this surname established themselves. One such individual was Antonio Simile (c. 1720-1790), a successful merchant who played a significant role in the city's trade with other Mediterranean ports.
As the centuries progressed, the surname "SIMILE" spread beyond Italy's borders, with descendants of these Italian families settling in other parts of Europe and eventually, the Americas. One example is Maria Simile (c. 1830-1905), an Italian immigrant who settled in Argentina and became a respected member of the local community.
While the name "SIMILE" may not be as common today as it once was in its ancestral homeland, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of Italian surnames, carrying with it a legacy that traces back to the Renaissance and the vibrant cultural heritage of Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Simile
Among Census respondents with the surname Simile, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Simile 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 Simile surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.4% · 114
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Simile
Simile 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-5 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,942 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+4 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,931 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 13,942 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.5%) | Up 1,931 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 Simile 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 | #146,201 | #144,270 | 1.3% |
| Count | 113 | 117 | 3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Simile bearers went from 113 to 117 (+3.5% change). The surname moved up 1,931 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #144,270.
FAQ
Simile surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Simile?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Simile. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Simile?
Simile ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Simile. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Simile.
Has Simile become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Simile went from 113 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 4 (+3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Simile?
Among Census respondents with the surname Simile, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Simile in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Simile appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.4%), Black (0.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Simile (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 Simile mean?
An Italian surname derived from the noun "simile", meaning similar or resembling. 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 Simile (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 many people are called Simile?
You can see how many people have the last name Simile on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.