This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of St. Paul,' probably some chapelry in Normandy. Not to be confounded with Simple (which see), although, no doubt, now inextricably mixed; compare Sinclair, Semper, Sellinger, &c.

William de Sainpol, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Gunilda de St. Paul, Lincolnshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

John de St. Paull, Oxfordshire;, ibid.

Emulda de St. Paul, Lincolnshire, ibid.

Willelmus Sayndepaule, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes Seynpoule, 1379: ibid.

Johanna Sayntpaule, 1379: ibid.

1626. William Mackphell and Barbara Semple: Marriage Lic. (London).

An old surname in the West of Scotland usually assumed to be a form of St. Paul, a common place name in France, but the evidence for this origin is not satisfactory. Robert de Sempill witnessed a charter by Malcolm, earl of Levenax, c. 1280 (Leve-rutx, p. 83). Thomas dictus Sympil had a charter of lands in the vill and tenement of Langnouryf (Longniddry) between 1315-21 (RMS., I, 69). Robert Sympill witnessed the donation by Walter the High Steward of the church of Largyss to the monks of Paisley, c. 1317 (RMP., p. 327), and c. 1320 he witnessed the girt c: Ellenabot in Loch Lomond to Matilda de Arneth (Levenax, p. 83). Alexander Simpil or Simple had a house in Blan-troddoks, c. 1300-20 (Hay, 6), and William Sympil witnessed a charter of ratification by Malcolm, fourth earl of Levenax, 1330 (Levenax, p. 19), and a confirmation charter by Robert the Steward, 1358 (Inchaffray, p. 126). Thomas Sympyl, dominus de Egliston, witnessed a Paisley charter in 1357 (RMP., p. 31), and William Simpill de Fowlwod also appears as charter witness in 1452 (ibid E. 250). Henry Sympile had remission for is part in burning the town of Dunbertane, 1489 (Lennox, II, p. 132), John Simple or Simpline appears as witness in Cupar, 1511 (Laing, 279,280), spulzie was committed upon John Simple of Fulvoid, 1546 (RPC., I, p. 66), and Ninian Symepile was burgess of Paisley, 1574 (Pollok, I, p. 308). Three individuals of this name, James, Robert, and Francis, were famous song writers in sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Sempell 169J, Sem-pile 1653, Sempill 1705, Simpil 1409, Simple 1360, Sympille 1549; Sympele, Sympill, Symple.

The obvious derivation of this name from the adjective simple is only applicable to Scottish families: in England it is a toponymic, a corruption of the French St. Pol, first called de Sancto Paulo and Seintpoule and later Sampul. It occurs as Sempill in the “census” of 1659 among the property holders in the town of Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. It is of fairly frequent occurence in records of the province of Ulster from the mid-seventeenth century, but I have not met it earlier than that, except in the case of Sir James Sempil who was an official dealing with land matters in Co. Cork in 1612. It is now fairly numerous in Co. Antrim, but elsewhere scattered and rare.

1 = Sample, q.v.

(occasionally) 2 for Simple, q.v.

This is derived in Scotland from the adjective simple and in England from the French St. Pol. It has been in Ulster since the mid-seventeenth century. SIF 135

(English) One who came from St. Paul (small), the name of many places in France.

Camden says, a corruption of St. Paul, like Sinclair from St. Clare; but the Scottish noble family of the name seem to have a different origin. The early charters of the family are granted thus: "Thomas dicto Sympil," "Roberto dicto Sympil," &c. In O. Scottish sympil, sempill, semple, means low-born, mean. "Gentle or Semple" means, proverbially, whether high-born or low.

A contraction of St. Paul. The family are descended from Robert Semple of Ellerston in Renfrewshire, 1250.

A corruption of St. Paul.

From the Flemish, Sempels; a personal name.