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Shim Family History

Shim Name Meaning

Korean: written 심 in Chinese characters 沈. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Shim. Some sources indicate that there are 63 different Shim clans but only six can be documented. Each of these clans claims a different founding ancestor. The founding ancestor of at least one of them the P’ungsan Shim clan originated in China. Most of the other Shim clans came into being during the Koryŏ period (918–1392). Members of the Shim clans can be found throughout the Korean peninsula. Compare Sim Chinese: Teochew Hokkien or Taiwanese form of the surname 沈. 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 and Malaysia. See Shen

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


Similar surnames: Shin, Im, Chi, Shi, Shum, Shima, Sham, Sim, Sui, Shiu

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Shim family from?

You can see how Shim families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shim family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shim families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Shim families living in British Columbia. This was about 40% of all the recorded Shim's in Canada. British Columbia and 1 other province had the highest population of Shim families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shim surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shim ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shim. 65% of Shim men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Shim women worked as a Seamstress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shim were Clerk and Proprietor. .

View Census Data for Shim | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    65%
  • Sugar Plantation
    12%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    50%
  • Proprietor
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shim family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Shim. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shim census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shim

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Shim. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shim immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Shim. For the veterans among your Shim ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Shim lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Shim life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Shim in 1956 was 61, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shim

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