SyMcox - Name

Simon was the Ancient Greek version of the Hebrew "Simeon" meaning "he who hears". The name was always popular as a Saints name, but in England the medieval popularity probably owed most to Simon de Montford who orgainised the 1264 opposition to the despotic reign of Henry 111. The Conversion of Simon to the many varient Patronymic (son of Simon) was 13th Century. The developed patronymic surnames included Simcock or Symcock, Simcoxe or Symcox (c.1298, Somerset) Simcock (1616, Chester) and the extra-ordinary "Sympcocke", one Robert of that surname being recorded in the Freeman of York Rolls for c.1295. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Symcock. which was dated 1273, in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire. during the reign of King Edward 1, known as the Hammer of the Scots, 1272 - 1307. 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.