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Show ContentsSimpson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Simpson Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI
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Etymology of Simpson

What does the name Simpson mean?

The name Simpson is a patronymic surname formed from the Medieval given name Sim. The original bearer of the name would have been the "son of Sim."

Early Origins of the Simpson family

The surname Simpson was first found in Buckinghamshire, where Simpson was listed in the Domesday Book as Sevinstone or Siwinestone, lands held by the Bishop of Countances. The place literally meant "farmstead of a man called Sigewine" derived from the Old Scandinavian personal name + tun. 1

At the time, the land consisted of 8 hides (each hide would support one household), 3 virgates (three quarters of a hide) and land enough to support 8 ploughs. There were 13 villans (peasants), 2 bordars and 6 slaves 2.

The family's introduction to Scotland began in 1405. "The Symson [family] of Brunton, have been established in Fifeshire from the commencement of the 15th century." 3

Simpson is "characteristic of the northern half of England. Yorkshire is its great home, it being very numerous in the North and East Ridings. In the surrounding counties of Durham, Lancashire, Cheshire, Stafford, and Derby, it is also well represented. Though it has established itself in some measure in Suffolk and Essex, it is with these exceptions eminently a name of the northern counties and northern midlands. It is represented over a large part of Scotland, but is rare in the north." 4

Early History of the Simpson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Simpson research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1405, 1412, 1422, 1448, 1475, 1477, 1482, 1488, 1491, 1567, 1646, 1685, 1687, 1688, 1696, 1764, 1768 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Simpson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simpson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Simpson, Simson, Simsoun, Symson, Symsoun, Simpsone and many more.

Early Notables of the Simpson family

Distinguished members of the family include David Symsoun, one of assize in Aberdeen in 1448; Thomas Symson, Scottish merchant, who had a safe conduct into England in 1475; and five years later John Symson, a Scot, had letters of denization in England. David Sympsone was elected common councillor in Aberdeen in 1477, Andro Semsoun was guilty of 'fylit of pycry' (i.e. pilfering) in Lanark in 1488, Jok Semsswne vas guilty of 'twillye' (disturbance) in the same year in the same town, Wylzame Symptsun was declared innocent of part in detention of King James III in Edinburgh Castle in 1482, and Johannes...
Another 109 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Simpson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simpson World Ranking

In the United States, the name Simpson is the 126th most popular surname with an estimated 174,090 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Simpson is ranked the 120th most popular surname with an estimated 25,576 people with that name. 6 And in France, the name Simpson is the 8,962nd popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Simpson as 75th with 31,631 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Simpson as 29th with 5,751 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Simpson as 59th with 73,755 people. 10

Migration of the Simpson family to Ireland

Some of the Simpson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Simpson migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Simpson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Simpson, who landed in Virginia in 1623 11
  • Robert Simpson, who settled in Salem in 1630 part of the Winthrop Fleet
  • Mr. Robert Simpson, (Sympson), who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 11
  • Mr. Thomas Simpson, (b. 1611), aged 24, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Constance" arriving in Virginia in 1635 12
  • Mr. John Simpson, (b. 1605), aged 30, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Truelove" arriving in Massachusetts Bay in 1635 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simpson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Anne Simpson, who landed in Virginia in 1702 11
  • Rowland Simpson, who landed in Virginia in 1703 11
  • Andrew Simpson, who arrived in New England in 1720 11
  • Peter Simpson, who landed in New England in 1733 11
  • Alexander Simpson, who landed in New England in 1735 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simpson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Andrew Patrick Simpson, who landed in North Carolina in 1801 11
  • Mary Jane Simpson, aged 5, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1805 11
  • Matt Simpson, aged 30, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1805 11
  • Matt, Simpson Jr., aged 3, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1805 11
  • Hugh Simpson, who arrived in South Carolina in 1806 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simpson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Donald Simpson, who arrived in Colorado in 1907 11

Simpson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Simpson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Richard Simpson, who settled in Newfoundland in 1704 14
  • John Simpson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Jos Simpson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • James Simpson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • John Simpson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Simpson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • A Simpson, aged 24, who landed in Canada in 1811
  • Alexander Simpson, who landed in Canada in 1815
  • John Simpson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1815
  • John Simpson, aged 62, Scottish farmer who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 7 children
  • John F Simpson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1815
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simpson migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Simpson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Henry Hart Simpson, (b. 1776), aged 24, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. Francis Simpson, (Frank), Irish convict who was convicted in Galway, Ireland for lif, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 30th May 1802, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1803 by hanging for his part in the Castle Hill escape. 16
  • Mr. John Simpson, (Gatehouse, George), British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
  • Mr. Abel Simpson, (b. 1787), aged 20, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
  • Mr. John Simpson, English convict who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1821 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simpson migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Simpson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Simpson, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston, UK aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in New Zealand in 1836 20
  • Captain Simpson, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Delhi" arriving in New Zealand in 1840 20
  • James Simpson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Bengal Merchant 21
  • William Simpson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Thomas Ritchie Simpson, aged 21, a farm servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bengal Merchant" in 1840 22
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Simpson migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 23
Simpson Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Edward Simpson, (b. 1622), aged 13, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 24
  • Mr. William Simpson, (b. 1618), aged 17, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 24

Contemporary Notables of the name Simpson (post 1700) +

  • Gretchen Dow Simpson (1939-2025), American painter from New England, author of over 60 magazine covers for The New Yorker Magazine
  • Alan Kooi Simpson (1931-2025), American politician, member of the Republican Party, served as a member of the United States Senate(1979-1997), Republican Senate Minority Whip (1987-1995), Senate Majority Whip (1985-1987)
  • Orenthal James "OJ" Simpson (1947-2024), American NFL football running back, actor, and broadcaster, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame
  • Lendward Simpson (1948-2024), retired African-American professional tennis player and founder of One Love Tennis, a tennis and academic enrichment program for at-risk kids
  • E.J. "Bill" Simpson (1940-2019), American racecar driver, pioneer in the racing safety business with his company Simpson Performance Products
  • James Shores "Jim" Simpson (1927-2016), American sportscaster, awarded the Sports Lifetime Achievement Award, inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2000
  • Joseph "Red" Simpson (1934-2016), American country singer-songwriter
  • Robert Homer Simpson (1912-2014), American meteorologist, hurricane specialist, first director of the National Hurricane Research Project
  • General William Hood Simpson KBE (1888-1980), U.S. Army officer who commanded the U.S. Ninth Army in northern Europe, during World War II
  • Donald Clarence "Don" Simpson (1943-1996), American film producer, screenwriter, and actor, best known for his work on Flashdance (1983), Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Top Gun (1986)
  • ... (Another 216 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Edward James  Simpson (1887-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Benjamin Simpson (1911-1941), Australian Petty Officer Telegraphist from Richmond, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 26
  • Mr. Charles Henry Simpson (1908-1941), Australian Able Seaman from East Richmond, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 26
  • Mr. Reginald Austin Simpson (1917-1941), Australian Ordinary Telegraphist from Quorn, South Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 26
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Peter Simpson (b. 1923), Scottish Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 27
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Simpson, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 28
HMS Royal Oak
  • Stanley Simpson (1914-1939), British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 29
  • John Robert Simpson (d. 1939), British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 29
  • Richard Harold Simpson (1920-1939), British Stoker 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 29
  • George Raymond Simpson (d. 1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 29
Monongah Mine
  • Mr. Frank Simpson (b. 1881), Italian coal miner who was in mine 8 at the Monongah Mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 30
Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)
  • Martin Bernard Christopher Simpson (1936-1988), American Financier from Brooklyn, New York, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 31
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Malcolm Simpson, English First Waiter from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 32
  • Mr. Edward Simpson, English 3rd Class passenger residing in Lawrence, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 33
  • Reverend Henry Wood Simpson, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Roseland, British Columbia, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in a boat 33
RMS Titanic
  • Dr. John Edward Simpson (d. 1912), aged 37, English Assistant Surgeon from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 34
SS Atlantic
  • John Simpson, crew member who was aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, survived the sinking
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Albert Eugene Simpson, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 35
USS Indianapolis
  • William Edward Simpson (1924-1977), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 36

The Simpson Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Alis nutrior
Motto Translation: I am fed by my wings.

Suggested Readings for the name Simpson +

  • The Descendants of Simpson-Roach Families of South Carolina by Max Peery.
  • Look Back with Pride by Dorothea Simpson Meriwether.
  • Simpson, Family of the American Frontier by John Worth Simpson.
  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  7. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  8. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  10. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  11. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  12. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 5th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  13. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 6th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  14. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  20. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  21. Shadow Time Settlers (Retrieved 5th November 2010), retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html
  22. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  24. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  25. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  26. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  27. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  28. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  29. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  30. Monongah Mining Disaster retrieved on 8th August 2021. Retrieved from https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/monongah.htm
  31. Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html
  32. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  33. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  34. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  35. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
  36. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew

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