Meaning & History
Sims is an English surname that originated as a variant of Simms. Like Simms, it is derived from the medieval given name Sim, a nickname for Simon, combined with the possessive suffix -s meaning “son of” or “servant of.” The name thus originally designated someone as the child or follower of a man named Sim.
Etymology
The ultimate root of the name is Simon, which comes from the New Testament Greek form Σίμων (Simon) of the Hebrew name שִׁמְעוֹן (Shimʿon), meaning “hearing” or “listening,” from the Hebrew root שָׁמַע (shamaʿ), “to hear.” In the Old Testament, the Hebrew form appears as Simeon, borne by the second son of Jacob (Genesis 29:33). The New Testament spelling Simon may have been influenced by the etymologically unrelated Greek name Simon 2. The apostle Simon, also known as Peter, gave the name widespread popularity in Christian Europe.
Historical Usage
During the Middle Ages, the name Simon was common in England, but it declined after the Protestant Reformation. However, the surname Sims and its variants such as Simmons, Simms, Simon, Simons, Simonson, and Simpkin persisted. Related forms in other languages and cultures include Armenian Simonyan, Bulgarian Simeonov and Simeonova, Croatian Šimunović and Šimić, and Slovak Šimon.
The surname Sims is also associated with several place names in the United States, including the village of Sims in Wayne County, Illinois; a township and CDP in Grant County, Indiana; a township in Arenac County, Michigan; the town of Sims in Wilson County, North Carolina; and a ghost town in Brazos County, Texas. The name may also derive from other unrelated sources, such as the given name Simon, but the surname most commonly shares the etymological root of Sim and Simon.
- Meaning: Variant of Simms, ultimately from Simon meaning “hearing”
- Origin: English
- Type: Surname
- Usage Regions: English-speaking world; also found in place names in the United States
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Sims