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Semple Family History

Semple Surname Meaning

Scottish (Glasgow): nickname from Middle English, Older Scots, and Old French simple ‘simple, straightforward, humble’ (from Latin simplus). The Scottish name was taken to Ulster in the 17th century.

A Scottish family of this name held the hereditary post of Sheriff of Renfrewshire from the 13th century.

English: variant of Sample.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Semple family from?

You can see how Semple families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Semple family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Semple families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 57 Semple families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Semple's in United Kingdom. London and 1 other county had the highest population of Semple families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Semple surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Semple ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Semple. 15% of Semple men worked as a Builders Labourer and 87% of Semple women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Semple were Engineers Traveller and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Semple | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Cowman
    15%
  • Colliery Hewer
    15%
  • Engineers Traveller
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    87%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Cook
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Semple family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 39,000 census records available for the last name Semple. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Semple census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Semple

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Semple. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Semple immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Semple. For the veterans among your Semple ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Semple military records

You've only scratched the surface of Semple family history

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What is the average Semple lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Semple life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Semple in 1940 was 35, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Semple

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Semple ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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