Shimko is a surname of Eastern European origin, primarily associated with Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, Slovak, and Rusyn roots. It is derived from a diminutive or pet form of the personal name Simon, which itself comes from the Hebrew name Shimʿon, meaning "he has heard" or "listener".

The suffix "-ko" is a characteristic Ukrainian and Belarusian diminutive or patronymic marker, meaning "son of" or "little one", so Shimko essentially means "son of Shym (Simon)".

It is also an Americanized form of Slovak and Rusyn surnames like Šimko, and of Polish Szymko, reflecting migration and linguistic adaptation in the United States.

The name appears in historical records from the Carpathian Mountains region, including present-day Ukraine and Western Russia, with early mentions in 17th-century Czarist archives.

Variants include Shymko, Schimko, Szimko, Szymko, Šimko, and Cyrillic forms like Шимко, reflecting regional languages and scripts. 

The surname is most prevalent in Ukraine and Russia, with significant presence in diaspora communities in the United States, Canada, and other parts of Europe.