Simmons

This interesting name is one of the many patronymic ("son of") forms of the surname Simon, itself created from the personal name, a common practice in medieval England. The personal name has two sources, the biblical "Simeon", from "Shimon", meaning "hearken", and the pre-existing Greek byname "Simon", from "Simos", meaning "snub-nosed". Both forms were very popular in Europe in the Middle Ages, though "Simon" more so because of the associations with the apostle Simon Peter. There was some confusion in Britain with the Anglo-Scandinavian forms of "Sigmund", and the Norman "Simund". Robertus Symmes was recorded in 1379 in the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire, as is Johannes Symson. In 1580, Gyles Symons married Frances Masson at St. Andrews by the Wardrobe. On May 18th 1640, at Putney, London, Grace, daughter of Richard and Grace Simons, was christened. One Samuel Foart Simmons (1750 - 1813), a notable namebearer, was a physician who attended King George 11. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William le Piz Simon, which was dated circa 1170, in the "Danelaw Documents", London, during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.