Explore the Family Name Sim
The meaning of Sim
1. Scottish (Aberdeenshire), English, and Dutch: from the personal name Sim(m) or Sime, a short form of Simon. 2. Korean: variant of Shim 1. 3. Chinese: Teochew, Hokkien, or Taiwanese Romanization of the surname 沈 (see Shen 1). This form is mainly found in Taiwan, Fujian province, and eastern Guangdong province, from where people migrated to Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 岑, see Cen. 5. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 單, see Shan 1. Some characteristic forenames: Korean Sang, Jae, Young, Jong, Kyong, Yong, Chang, Chong, Dong, Song, Won, Chae, Chul, Hyun, Jae Bong, Jae Hoon, Myong, Nam, Pyong, Byung, Chong Ho, Chong Su, Dae, Hae.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sim in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Sim' has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, 'Sim' ranked 6,376th in terms of commonality among surnames in the United States, but by 2010 it had advanced to the rank of 5,732, marking a 10.1% rise. The count of individuals with this surname also increased during this period from 4,915 to 6,047, reflecting a notable growth of 23.03%. The proportion of people named 'Sim' per 100,000 individuals also rose by 12.64%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,376 | #5,732 | 10.1% |
| Count | 4,915 | 6,047 | 23.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.82 | 2.05 | 12.64% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sim
In regard to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of individuals bearing the surname 'Sim' identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, which increased from 64.82% in 2000 to 71.08% in 2010. Individuals identified as 'White' with this surname decreased from 27.67% to 22.69%, while those identifying as 'Black' also declined from 3.26% to 2.36%. There was a slight increase in Hispanic representation from 0.92% to 1.39%. Representation of 'Two or more races' decreased slightly from 2.93% to 2.28%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased significantly from 0.41% to 0.20%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 64.82% | 71.08% | 9.66% |
| White | 27.67% | 22.69% | -18% |
| Black | 3.26% | 2.36% | -27.61% |
| Two or More Races | 2.93% | 2.28% | -22.18% |
| Hispanic | 0.92% | 1.39% | 51.09% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.41% | 0.2% | -51.22% |
Sim ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Sim is Chinese, which comprises 23.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (23.1%) and British & Irish (19.7%). Additional ancestries include Indonesian, Thai, Khmer & Myanma, French & German, Eastern European, Filipino & Austronesian, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 23.3% |
| Korean | 23.1% |
| British & Irish | 19.7% |
| Other | 33.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Sim
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Sim have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 35.30% |
What Sim haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Sim is R-Z9, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z9 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include O-F11 and O-Page23, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lee, He, Low, Partain, Eskridge, Eskew, Eshleman, Zwick, Eshelman, Escudero.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sim surname are: M, H, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Sim have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Sim" Surname 43.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Sim" Surname 32.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sim" Surname 28.6%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Sim" Surname 11.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sim?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Sim are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition