Meaning & History
Šimonis is a Lithuanian patronymic surname meaning "son of Simonas". The surname reflects the traditional Lithuanian naming system where the suffix -onis, contracted to -is, indicates paternity.
The root name Simon 1 derives from the Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹן (Shimʿon), meaning "hearing" or "listening," from the root shamaʿ. In the Old Testament, Simeon (the Greek form Συμεών) was the second son of Jacob. The New Testament form Σίμων (Simon) was borne by several figures, most notably the apostle Simon Peter. The name gained widespread use across Christian Europe due to Peter's prominence.
In Lithuania, the given name Simonas is the standard Lithuanian adaptation of Simon. From it, the patronymic Šimonis was formed. Female variants include Šimonienė (married woman) and Šimonytė (unmarried woman). Cognate surnames in other languages include the Bulgarian Simeonov, the Croatian Šimunović and Šimić, the Armenian Simonyan, and the Slovak Šimon.
The surname Šimonis is almost exclusively found in Lithuania, where—according to Forebears—it is most concentrated in the Šiauliai County, with a smaller presence in Kaunas. Its phonetic variants may arise from transliteration, such as the omission of the hacek accent.
- Meaning: "son of Simonas" (Lithuanian patronymic)
- Origin: Lithuanian
- Type: Surname
- Usage regions: Lithuania (primarily)
Related Names
Sources: Forebears — Šimonis