Symonds is a surname with English origins, derived from Simon. Notable people with the surname include:

Arts, news, and entertainment

* Alan Symonds (1946–2006), American theatre technical director *

John Symonds John Symonds (12 March 1914, Battersea, London – 21 October 2006) was an English novelist, biographer, playwright and writer of children's books. Biography Early life He was the son of Robert Wemyss Symonds and Lily Sapzells. At the ag ...

(1914–2006), English biographer, playwright and author *

John Addington Symonds John Addington Symonds, Jr. (; 5 October 1840 – 19 April 1893) was an English poet and literary critic. A cultural historian, he was known for his work on the Renaissance, as well as numerous biographies of writers and artists. Although m ...

(1840–1893), English poet and literary critic and advocate of homosexual love *

Matthew Symonds Matthew John Symonds (born 20 December 1953) is a British journalist and, since 2018, the executive director of the Larry Ellison Foundation. He was a co-founder of ''The Independent'' in 1986. Born in 1953, Symonds is the son of John Beavan,

(born 1953), English journalist *

Nelson Symonds Nelson Symonds (September 24, 1933 – October 11, 2008) was a Canadian jazz guitarist born in Upper Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia. Biography After pursuing the banjo at a young age, Symonds switched to the guitar. He gained his first performance ...

(1933–2008), Canadian jazz guitarist * Robert Symonds (1926–2007), American actor *

Ross Symonds Ross Symonds (born 1942) is an Australian former news presenter and reporter, television and radio personality and spokesman, best known for his association with the ABC and later the Seven Network in Sydney from the 1980s until the early 2000s. ...

(born 1942), Australian news presenter *

William R. Symonds William Robert Symonds (1851 – 7 November 1934) was an English painter. He specialised in genre scenes, often sentimental, or involving children and animals. Life Born in Yoxford, Suffolk, he studied in Antwerp and settled in London in 1881. H ...

(1851–1934), English painter

Business and commerce

* Matt Symonds (born 1968), British entrepreneur *

Peter Symonds Peter Symonds (–1586/7) was a wealthy English merchant and benefactor, most notable for founding a number of almshouses for charitable endeavors in Southeast England. His most prominent achievement was the foundation of an almshouse in Winchest ...

(c.1528–1586), English merchant and benefactor

Education and academia

* Craig Symonds (born 1946), American historian *

Richard Symonds (academic) Richard Symonds (2 October 1918 – 15 July 2006) was an English academic and civil servant. He was born in Oxford, the son of neurologist Sir Charles Symonds and Janet Poulton. He was educated at Cothill House and Rugby School and gained a sch ...

(1918–2006), British UN administrator and academic

Military

* James Symonds (born 195?), American naval officer *

Thomas Symonds (Royal Navy officer, died 1792) Captain Thomas Symonds (bapt. 10 August 1731 –1792) was a British naval captain of the American Revolutionary War. Symonds was the second son of the Rev John Symonds, rector of Horringer, Suffolk, and his wife, Mary Spring (died 1774), dau ...

(1731–1792), British naval captain of the American Revolutionary War *

Thomas Symonds (Royal Navy officer, died 1894) Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas Matthew Charles Symonds, GCB (31 October 1811 – 14 November 1894) was a Royal Navy officer. He was commanding officer of which participated in the bombardment of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. Symonds bec ...

(1811–1894), British admiral *

William Cornwallis Symonds Captain William Cornwallis Symonds (1 August 1810 – 23 November 1841) was a British Army officer who was prominent in the early colonisation of New Zealand. Symonds was born at Lymington, Hampshire in 1810, the eldest son of William Symo ...

(1810–1841), British army officer, Chief Magistrate of Auckland and Deputy Surveyor-General of New Zealand *

William Symonds Sir William Symonds CB FRS (24 September 1782 – 30 March 1856, aboard the French steamship ''Nil'', Strait of Bonifacio, Sardinia)Jermyn Symonds Captain John Jermyn Symonds (4 January 1816 – 3 January 1883) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Auckland, New Zealand. He purchased land for the New Zealand Company and was later a judge of the Native Land Court. Biography Symonds was ...

(1816–1883), Member of Parliament in New Zealand *

Joseph Symonds Joseph Bede Symonds OBE (17 January 1900 – 29 March 1985) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Whitehaven constituency in Cumberland from 1959 until he stood down at the 1970 gener ...

(1900–1985), British politician, MP for Whitehaven * Thomas Powell Symonds (1762–1819), British politician, MP for Hereford, and lieutenant colonel South Gloucester Militia *

Carrie Symonds Caroline Louise Beavan Johnson (' Symonds; born 17 March 1988) is a British media consultant and the wife of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. She is the daughter of Matthew Symonds, co-founder of ''The Independent.'' ...

(married name Carrie Johnson, born 1988), British political activist

Science

Charles Symonds Air Vice Marshal Sir Charles Putnam Symonds (11 April 1890 – 7 December 1978) was an English neurologist and a senior medical officer in the Royal Air Force. His initial medical training was at Guy's Hospital, followed by specialised training ...

(1890–1978), English neurologist *

Percival Symonds Percival Mallon Symonds (April 18, 1893 – August 6, 1960) was an American educational psychologist. He was known for his development of several tests in the fields of educational, clinical, and school psychology, including the Foreign Language ...

(1893–1960), American educational psychologist *

William Samuel Symonds William Samuel Symonds (13 December 181815 September 1887) was an English cleric, geologist and author. Life He was born in Hereford, and educated at Cheltenham College and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1842. Having ta ...

(1818–1887), English geologist

Sports

* Andrew Symonds (1975–2022), Australian cricketer *

Calvin Symonds Roderick Calvin Hilgrove Symonds, known as Calvin "Bummy" Symonds (born 29 March 1932), is a retired Bermudian cricketer and footballer. He represented the Bermuda national cricket team and played one match in the English Football League for Rochd ...

, Bermudian cricketer and footballer *

Chas Symonds Chas Symonds (born 8 July 1982) is an English welterweight boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab ...

(born 1982), English boxer *

Harry Symonds Henry George Symonds (24 June 1889 – 1 January 1945) was a Welsh cricketer who played first-class cricket for Glamorgan and Wales in the 1920s. Symonds played in Glamorgan's inaugural County Championship match, against Sussex in 1921, scoring ...

(1889–1945), Welsh cricketer *

Noel Symonds Noel Parry Symonds (25 December 1863 – 31 December 1943) was an English rower who won the Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta. Symonds was born at Broomy Hill, Herefordshire. He was the fifth son of James Frederick Symonds, a soli ...

(1863–1943), English rower * Pat Symonds (born 1953), British motorsport engineer *

Tom Symonds Tom Symonds (born 17 February 1989) is an Australian professional rugby league player who last played for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. Playing career ...

(born 1989), Australian Rugby League Player *

Tony Symonds Anthony George Symonds (born 15 February 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the Glenelg Football Club in the South Australian National Football Le ...

(born 1962), Australian rules footballer

Other

John Alexander Symonds John Alexander Symonds (born 13 July 1935) is an English former Metropolitan Police officer and KGB agent. Biography Symonds was born in the Soke of Peterborough. He was commissioned in the Royal Artillery, serving from 1953 to 1956. He joined ...

(born 1935), British police officer who spied for the KGB *

Joseph W. Symonds Joseph White Symonds (September 2, 1840 – September 28, 1918), of Portland, Maine, was a justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court from October 16, 1878, to March 31, 1884. Born in Raymond, Maine, Symonods graduated from Bowdoin College in 18 ...

(1840–1918), Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court *

Richard Symonds (diarist) Richard Symonds (1617–1660) was an English royalist and antiquary, now remembered for an eye-witness diary he wrote of events of the First English Civil War. Life He was the eldest son of Edward (or Edmund) Symonds of Black Notley, Essex, wher ...

(1617–1692?), English royalist and Civil War diarist