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ArchivesSurname Simpson
I'm of Irish heritage....I think,mums and dad's surname were the same before they had met and married,dad was always evasive about our heritage but did tell my oldest sister we were Irish and that our g-grandfather left Ireland because he was on the run from the IRA,not sure wot to believe but then I was told at a Scottish Highlands game last year that the surname Simpson is Scottish,if anyone here would like to enlighten me on this then please do so!
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Simpson is actually an English surname meaning, like Anneza said, "Son of Simon". An Irish surname would instead have the prefix "O" . . . as in "O'Donnald" or "O'Brady" (which can both be spelled as Odonnald or Obrady, albiet less common/traditionally). . . O means Descendant of, as opposed to "Son" meaning "Son". A Scottish surname would, in turn, have a "Mac" or "Mc", as in "MacPherson" or "McCoy" . . . "Mac"/"Mc" means "Son". The word "Son", at least in a context meaning "Son of. . . " appears in no traditional Irish or Scottish surnames.
That isn't to say that your family isn't from Ireland or Scotland; you have to remember that, at one point in time, England controlled much of the civilized world and, as such, imposed their society (religion, surnames, and all) upon as many of their new found "subjects" as possible. It is worthy to note, though, that the IRA, the Irish Republican Party (I would assume), would not likely be chasing your great-grandfather unless he did something major . . . so chances are that you'll figure the story out sometime
That isn't to say that your family isn't from Ireland or Scotland; you have to remember that, at one point in time, England controlled much of the civilized world and, as such, imposed their society (religion, surnames, and all) upon as many of their new found "subjects" as possible. It is worthy to note, though, that the IRA, the Irish Republican Party (I would assume), would not likely be chasing your great-grandfather unless he did something major . . . so chances are that you'll figure the story out sometime
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IRA =
Irish Republican Army.
Irish Republican Army.
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Simpson means "son of Simon". There must have been men named Simon wherever English was spoken at the time surnames came into use. (I wouldhave guessed that it's English, myself.) Plus, there has historically been great toing and froing between Ireland and Scotland. The best you can do is trace your personal family as far back as you can; then you might have something geographical to go on. Or not! Records can disappear and none of 'em go very far back. Good luck trying.
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