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

Simonsen, 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 Simonsen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Simonsen in America

Simonsen is the 9484th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Simonsen surname appeared 3,430 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Simonsen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Simonsen 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 Simonsen

The surname Simonsen is of Danish and Norwegian origin, derived from the personal name Simon, which itself comes from the ancient Hebrew name Shim'on. This surname emerged in the Middle Ages and is a patronymic form, meaning "son of Simon."

The name Simon is first recorded in the Bible as the name of one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. In the 11th century, the name became popular in Denmark and Norway due to the influence of Christianity in those regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Simonsen dates back to the late 13th century in the Danish town of Ribe. A merchant named Niels Simonsen is mentioned in a tax record from 1289.

In the 14th century, a prominent Norwegian clergyman named Svein Simonsen served as the Bishop of Oslo from 1314 to 1332. He is remembered for his efforts in promoting education and building churches in Norway during his tenure.

During the Renaissance period, a Danish artist named Jens Simonsen (1530-1601) gained recognition for his intricate woodcarvings and altarpieces in several churches across Denmark.

In the 17th century, a Norwegian naval officer named Peder Simonsen (1620-1687) played a significant role in defending Norway's coastal waters against foreign invaders and pirates.

The surname Simonsen has also been associated with several notable literary figures. The Norwegian poet and playwright Johan Simonsen (1781-1857) was a prominent figure in the Romantic Movement and is particularly known for his patriotic poetry.

Another notable bearer of the surname was the Danish author and playwright Erik Simonsen (1894-1976), whose works often explored themes of social injustice and the plight of the working class.

While the surname Simonsen is most commonly found in Denmark and Norway, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration in more recent times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Simonsen

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

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

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

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