Simons is a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

of Scandinavian origins and a variant of Sigmundsson, a

patronymic surname A patronymic surname is a surname originated from the given name of the father or a patrilineal ancestor. Different cultures have different ways of producing patronymic surnames. For example, early patronymic Welsh surnames were the result of th ...

with roots in proto-Germanic ''*segaz'' and ''*mundō'', giving a rough translation of "protection through victory".

Notable people

A

Alan Simons Alan Geoffrey Simons (born 2 September 1968) is a Welsh former football goalkeeper who played one game in the Football League for Port Vale in November 1987. Career Simons graduated through Port Vale Port Vale Football Club are a profess ...

(born 1968), Welsh goalkeeper * Alexandra Simons de Ridder (born 1963), German equestrian *

Algie Martin Simons Algie Martin Simons (1870–1950) was an American socialist journalist, newspaper editor, and political activist, best remembered as the editor of ''International Socialist Review (1900), The International Socialist Review'' for nearly a decade. ...

(1870–1950), American socialist journalist, newspaper editor and political activist *

Andra Simons Andra Simons is a Bermudian writer, director and actor now residing in London. Biography Born in Bermuda, Simons graduated from George Brown Theatre School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was well known in the spoken-word movement in Toronto, n ...

, Bermudian writer *

Ann Simons Ann Simons (born 5 August 1980) is a judoka from Belgium. Career Born in Tongeren, Simons was an 8 time Belgian champion in the category -48 kg. In 2001 and 2003 she also won the bronze medal at the European championships. In 2000, she won ...

(born 1980), Belgian judoka *

Arthur D. Simons Arthur D. "Bull" Simons (June 28, 1918 – May 21, 1979) was a United States Army Special Forces colonel best known for leading the Sơn Tây raid, an attempted rescue of U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War from a North Vietnamese p ...

(1918–1979), U.S. Army Special Forces officer

B

Barbara Simons Barbara Bluestein Simons (born January 26, 1941) is an American computer scientist and the former president of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). She is a Ph.D. graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and spent her early ca ...

(born 1941), American computer scientist *

Benjamin Simons Benjamin David Simons is a British theoretical physicist, working in the field of theoretical condensed matter physics and in biophysics. Simons holds the Herchel Smith Chair in Physics at the University of Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory, and h ...

, British theoretical physicist *

Billy Simons Billy Simons (born December 17, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter originally from Ludlow, Massachusetts. His music is often described as acoustic pop, rock, and folk. Although he sometimes plays with a trio, Simons mostly plays solo acoust ...

(born 1983), American singer

C

Carlos Simons Carlos W. Simons QC (born 8 October 1954) is a Turks and Caicos Islands lawyer and politician. Career SImons served on a four-member interim Advisory Council He from July 1986 to 3 March 1988 after two previous Chief Ministers were forced to resig ...

(born 1954), Turks and Caicos Islands lawyer *

Charles Simons (footballer) Charles Simons (27 September 1906 in Antwerp, Belgium – 5 August 1979) was a Belgian footballer. Career Playing as a midfielder at Royal Antwerp FC, Charles Simons was Belgian champion in 1929 and 1931. He also played 10 times for the ''D ...

(1906–1979), Belgian footballer *

Charles Casper Simons Charles Caspar Simons (May 21, 1876 – February 2, 1964) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the E ...

(1876–1964), American judge *

Charles Earl Simons, Jr. Charles Earl Simons Jr. (August 17, 1916 – October 26, 1999) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Education and career Born in Johnston, South Carolina, Simons received an ...

(1916–1999), American judge * Charles-Mathias Simons (1802–1874), Luxembourg politician *

Claude Simons, Jr. Claude M. "Little Monk" Simons Jr. (January 16, 1914 – January 6, 1975) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at Tulane University, where he s ...

(1914–1975), American college sports coach *

Claude Simons, Sr. Claude M. "Monk" Simons Sr. (November 1886 – November 4, 1943) was an American college sports coach. He served as the head coach for the Tulane University baseball, basketball, track, and boxing teams, and as the Tulane football team trainer fr ...

(1887–1943), American college sports coach

D

Daniel Simons Daniel James Simons (born 1969) is an experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, and Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois. Simons is best know ...

(born 1969), American psychologist and cognitive scientist *

Dave Simons Dave Simons (died June 9, 2009) was an American comic book artist known for his work on '' Conan'', ''Ghost Rider'', ''Red Sonja'', and ''Spider-Man'' for Marvel Comics and ''Forgotten Realms'' for DC Comics. He is also known for commercial sto ...

(1954–2009), American comic book artist *

David G. Simons David Goodman Simons (June 7, 1922 – April 5, 2010) was an American physician turned U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who, as part of Project Manhigh, set a high-altitude balloon flight record in 1957 at above the Earth in an aluminum capsule s ...

(1922–2010), American physician and Airforce pilot * Dot Simons (1912–1996), New Zealand sportswoman, sports journalist and writer *

Doug Simons Douglas Eugene Simons (born September 15, 1966) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets (1991) and Montreal Expos (1992). Early life and draft Prior to playing professionally, Simons attended Calabasas High Scho ...

(born 1966), American baseball pitcher

E

Ed Simons (conductor) Edward Simons (February 1, 1917 – June 26, 2018) was an American musician, a classical violinist and conductor, who was the oldest active conductor in the United States. He started his career in the 1940s and continued conducting until his de ...

(1917–2018), American violinist and conductor *

Elwyn L. Simons Elwyn LaVerne Simons (July 14, 1930 – March 6, 2016) was an American paleontologist, paleozoologist, and a wildlife conservationist for primates. He was known as the father of modern primate paleontology for his discovery of some of humankind ...

(1930–2016), American paleontologist *

Eric Simons Eric Owen Simons (born 9 March 1962) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer. He was an all-rounder who played 23 One Day Internationals for South Africa in the 1990s. He later became coach of the national side for two years but he ...

(born 1962), South African cricketer * Eva Simons (born 1984), Dutch singer-songwriter

F

* F. Estelle R. Simons (born 1945), Canadian scientist

G

Geoff Simons Geoffrey Leslie Simons (23 November 1939 – 31 August 2011), best known as Geoff L. Simons was a British freelance writer. In the 1980s, he was chief editor at the National Computing Centre in Manchester. A prolific author of non-fiction, he wro ...

(1939–2011), British freelance writer

H

* Heintje Simons (born 1955), Dutch singer and actor *

Hellmuth Simons Hellmuth Simons (1893–1969), who predominantly published under the name H. C. R. Simons, was a German-Jewish bacteriologist and authority on tropical diseases, who encouraged the belief that Germany was developing biological weapons before and dur ...

(1893–1969), German bacteriologist * Henry Calvert Simons (1899–1948), American economist *

Howard Simons Howard Simons (June 3, 1929 – June 13, 1989) was the managing editor of ''The Washington Post'' at the time of the Watergate scandal, and later curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Early life and education Si ...

(1929–1989), American journalist *

Hywel Simons Hywel Simons (born 10 February 1970) is a British actor from Neath, Wales. Born in Neath, he was brought up in Porthcawl. He started acting while a pupil at Porthcawl Comprehensive School, before he went on to study at LAMDA. Simons first T ...

(born 1970), Welsh actor

J

Jack Simons John "Jack" Joseph Simons (also widely known and referred to as J. J. Simons and J. J. "Boss" Simons (12 August 1882 – 24 October 1948) was an Australian businessman and politician, best known for establishing the Young Australia League. Ear ...

(1882–1948), Australian businessman and politician *

James Harris Simons James Harris Simons (; born 25 April 1938) is an American mathematician, billionaire hedge fund manager, and philanthropist. He is the founder of Renaissance Technologies, a quantitative hedge fund based in East Setauket, New York. He and his f ...

(born 1938), American mathematician and hedge fund-manager *

Jan Simons Jan Simons (11 November 1925 – 7 May 2006) was a Canadian baritone, music teacher and administrator. Complementing a vocal performance career in Canada in the 1950s and 1960s, he was a member of the faculty of music at McGill University in Mon ...

(1925–2006), Canadian baritone *

Jennifer Simons Jennifer "Jenny" Simons, married Geerlings (born 5 September 1953 in Paramaribo) is a Surinamese politician. On 30 June 2010, she was elected as Chairperson of the National Assembly of Suriname with 26 out of 50 votes. Simons is the second femal ...

(born 1953), Surinamese politician * Jesse Simons (1917–2006), American labor arbitrator *

Jim Simons (golfer) James Bradley Simons (May 15, 1950 – December 8, 2005) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s and 1980s. Born in Pittsburgh, and raised in suburban Butler, Pennsylvania, Simons attended Knoch High Scho ...

(1950–2005), American professional golfer *

Joe Simons Joe Simons (born 15 July 1947) is a former ice hockey player. Simons is the all-time leader point getter for the TYSC Trappers ice hockey club. He played with the club from the 1964 through to the 1974–75 season. He then played for the 1979/ ...

(born 1947), Dutch ice hockey player *

Joseph H. Simons Joseph H. Simons (10 May 1897 – 30 December 1983) was a U.S. chemist who became famous for discovering one of the first practical ways to mass-produce fluorocarbons in the 1930s while a professor of chemical engineering at Pennsylvania State U ...

(1897–1983), American chemist *

Johan Simons Johan Simons (born 1 September 1946) is a Dutch theatre director. Simons received his education at the Rotterdam Dance Academy and the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts. He also taught directing in Maastricht for a number of years. Since 200 ...

(born 1946), Dutch theatre director *

John Simons John Simons (John Potts) is a British radio executive, former group programming director for GMG Radio now working as an International Radio Consultant, mainly in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Biography Simons began his career in 1979, ...

, British radio executive *

John Simons (chemist) John Philip Simons (born 20 April 1934) is a British physical chemist known for his research in photochemistry and photophysics, molecular reaction dynamics and the spectroscopy of biological molecules. He was professor of physical chemistry at ...

(born 1934), British physical chemist *

Jonathan Simons Jonathan W. Simons is an American physician-scientist, medical oncologist, and leader in prostate cancer research. In August 2021, Simons was appointed the Medical Director and Chief Science Officer of the Marcus Foundation. Prior to joining th ...

(born 1958), American physician and oncologist * Jozef Simons (1888–1948), Flemish writer and poet * Jud Simons (1904–1943), Dutch gymnast

K

* Keneth Alden Simons (1913–2004), American electrical engineer *

Kip Simons Kip Simons is a retired American gymnast. Simons competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics, 1996 Olympics and the 1994 and 1995 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, World Championships. Simons competed for Ohio State University. In 1994, his seni ...

, American gymnast

L

Lao Genevra Simons Lao Genevra Simons (1870–1949) also referred to as Lao G. Simons, was an American mathematician, writer, and historian of mathematics known for her influential book ''Fabre and Mathematics and Other Essays''. Simons was head of the mathematic ...

(1870-1949), American mathematician and writer

M

Margaret Simons Margaret Simons (born 1960) is an Australian academic, freelance journalist and author. She has written numerous articles and essays as well as many books, including a biography of Senate leader of the Australian Labor Party Penny Wong. Her essa ...

(born 1960), Australian journalist and writer *

Marlise Simons Marlise Simons is a Dutch-born journalist who joined ''The New York Times'' in 1982. She has been based in Paris since 1989, covering a range of subjects across Europe and elsewhere. Most recently she has focused on international human rights law ...

, Dutch journalist for the New York Times *

Marylin Simons Marylin Simons (16 October 1959) is a Surinamese writer and columnist. She is best known for ''In naam van God en Obia'' (2002) for which she was awarded the , and her youth book ''Carrousel'' (2003). Biography Marilyn Simons was born on 16 Octo ...

, (born 1959), Surinamese writer * Matt Simons, American singer-songwriter and musician *

May Wood Simons May Wood Simons (May 10, 1876 – December 3, 1948) was an American socialist writer, editor, teacher and economist .Mari Jo Buhle, ''Women and American Socialism, 1870-1920.'' Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1981; pp. 166–169. She de ...

(1876–1948), American writer, teacher and socialist *

Mel Simons Melburn Ellis Simons (July 1, 1900 – November 10, 1974), nicknamed "Butch", was a professional baseball player. He was an outfielder over parts of two seasons (1931–32) with the Chicago White Sox. For his career, he compiled a .268 batting ...

(1900–1974), American baseball player * Menno Simons (1496–1561), Dutch Anabaptist * Moisés Simons (1889–1945), Cuban composer

N

Nancy Simons Nancy Joan Simons (born May 20, 1938), later known by her married name Nancy Peterson, is an American former competition swimmer and Olympic medalist. She represented the United States as an eighteen-year-old at the 1956 Summer Olympics in ...

(born 1938), American swimmer *

Nicholas Simons Nicholas Simons is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast since 2005, and member of the New Democratic Party. Early life and career S ...

, Canadian politician * Netty Simons (1913–1994), American pianist, music editor, music educator and composer * Nina Simons (born 1957), American businesswoman

P

Paul E. Simons A career Foreign Service Officer, Paul E. Simons served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Chile from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he held a number of senior positions in the Department of State, including ...

, American diplomat *

Paullina Simons Paullina Simons (born 1963) is a Russian-born American writer and the international best-selling author of the novels ''Tully'', ''Red Leaves'', ''Eleven Hours'', '' The Bronze Horseman'', '' Tatiana and Alexander'', ''Lily'' and '' The Summer Ga ...

(born 1953), Russian author * Perla Simons (born 1963), Honduran politician * Peter Simons (academic) (born 1950), British philosopher * Peter Simons (businessman) (born 1964), Canadian businessman

R

Rachel Simons Ray Alexander Simons (née Alexandrowich; (31 December 1913 – 12 September 2004) was a South African communist, anti-apartheid activist, campaigner and trade unionist who helped draft the Women's Charter. She moved to Cape Town in 1929 to escape ...

(1914–2004), South African communist and trade unionist * Raf Simons (born 1968), Belgian fashion designer *

Regillio Simons Regillio Simons (born 28 June 1973) is a Dutch football manager and former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the current manager of the under-21 team of FC Volendam. He is also the father of Xavi Simons. Career Simons starte ...

(born 1973), Dutch footballer *

Renee Simons Renee Simons (born April 18, 1972 in Oliver, British Columbia as Renee Lemke) is a Canadian curler from Kelowna. She is the former lead of Team Kelly Scott and currently plays lead on Team Mary-Anne Arsenault. Career Playing lead for Kelly Sco ...

(born 1972), Canadian curler *

Richard D. Simons Richard Duncan Simons (March 23, 1927 – July 17, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge from New York. He was Acting Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1992 to 1993. Life Simons was in the United States Navy during World War I ...

(born 1927), New York state judge * Rita Simons (born 1977), English actress, singer and model *

Robert Simons Robert Simons may refer to: * Robert Simons (cricketer) * Robert Simons (economist) See also * Robert Simon (disambiguation) {{hndis, Simons, Robert ...

(1922–2011), English cricketer *

Robert Simons Robert Simons may refer to: * Robert Simons (cricketer) * Robert Simons (economist) See also * Robert Simon (disambiguation) {{hndis, Simons, Robert ...

American economist *

Ronald C. Simons Ronald C. Simons (born June 25, 1935) is a psychiatrist and anthropologist best known for his work on latah, a culture-bound syndrome found predominantly in Malaysia and Indonesia. He has written on culture-bound syndromes more generally. He is pr ...

(born 1935), American psychiatrist and anthropologist *

Ronald L. Simons Ronald L. Simons (born December 18, 1946) is an American sociologist, criminologist, and Distinguished Research Professor of Sociology at the University of Georgia. Early life and education Simons was born on December 18, 1946. He earned his Bach ...

(born 1946), American criminologist and sociologist *

Rosearik Rikki Simons Rosearik Rikki Allen Simons (born September 8, 1970) is an American voice actor, writer, cartoonist, and animator. He is best known as the voice of GIR in the Nickelodeon animated series, ''Invader Zim''. Simons has also written a number of nove ...

(born 1970), American voice actor and writer

S

Samuel Simons Samuel Simons (1792 – January 13, 1847) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut's 4th congressional district from 1843 to 1845. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1830 ...

(1792–1847), American politician from Connecticut *

Seymour Simons Seymour Simons (January 14, 1896 – February 12, 1949) was an American pianist, composer, orchestra leader, and radio producer. Biography Simons born in Detroit, Michigan, was originally trained in engineering and went to work as a researc ...

(1896–1949), American pianist, composer, orchestra leader, and radio producer * Shirley Simons (1897–1963), American architect * Simeon Simons (1759–1853), Native American bodyguard of George Washington * Simone Simons (born 1985), Dutch mezzo-soprano *

Sylvana Simons Silvana Hildegard "Sylvana" Simons (born 31 January 1971) is a Surinamese-born Dutch politician and former television presenter. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2021 on behalf of BIJ1, an egalitarian anti-racist part ...

(born 1971), Dutch television presenter and politician

T

* Thomas Simons (born 2004), British Youtuber and Twitch streamer (known online as TommyInnit) * Timmy Simons (born 1976), Belgian footballer

W

Walter Simons Walter Simons (24 September 1861 – 14 July 1937) was a German lawyer and politician. He was Foreign Minister of the Weimar Republic in 1920-21 and served as president of the ''Reichsgericht'' from 1922 to 1929. Early life Walter Simons was bor ...

(1861–1937), German lawyer and politician * William Simons (1940–2019), Welsh actor

X

Xavi Simons Xavier Quentin Shay Simons (born 21 April 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or an attacking midfielder for Eredivisie club PSV and the Netherlands national team. Early life Born in Amsterdam, Simons is the so ...

(born 2003), Dutch footballer

References

{{surname, Simons Dutch-language surnames English-language surnames Patronymic surnames Surnames from given names