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

Sims, 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 Sims surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sims in America

Sims is the 270th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sims surname appeared 113,374 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 38 people would have the surname Sims.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sims 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 Sims

The surname SIMS is of English origin and derives from the medieval given name Sim, a shortened form of Simon. Simon is derived from the Hebrew name Shim'on, meaning "he has heard" or "he who listens." The earliest known record of the surname SIMS dates back to the 13th century in the county of Norfolk, England.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest census-like records in England, the surname appears as Symme and Symmes, indicating its early variations in spelling. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in eastern England during the Middle Ages.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname SIMS. However, it does mention various landholders and tenants with the given name Simon, from which the surname likely originated.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname SIMS was John Sims, who was born in Norfolk around 1350. Another notable figure was Thomas Sims, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Ipswich, Suffolk, in the late 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname SIMS spread across England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire in the West Midlands region. One notable bearer of the name was John Sims (1582-1654), a renowned English navigator and explorer who sailed to the East Indies and served as a commander for the East India Company.

In the 18th century, the surname SIMS gained prominence in the field of horticulture with the botanist John Sims (1749-1831), who established the botanical magazine "Curtis's Botanical Magazine" and served as the curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Another notable figure was William Sims (1753-1834), an English portrait painter and engraver known for his portraiture of notable figures of the Georgian era, including King George III and members of the British royal family.

In the 19th century, the surname SIMS continued to be associated with various fields, including literature and politics. George Robert Sims (1847-1922) was a renowned English writer and playwright, best known for his novels and plays depicting the lives of working-class Londoners.

Additionally, Walter Sims (1860-1924) was a prominent British politician and member of the House of Commons, representing the constituency of St. Pancras South from 1906 to 1918.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sims

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

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

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

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