They served as xiaguan (夏官; "officers of summer")[a] in the reigns of the mythical emperors Yao and Shun and through the Xia and Shang dynasties.

Cheng-bo Xiufu (程伯休甫), a descendant of Chongli (Zhurong), helped King Xuan of the Zhou dynasty consolidate his rule over his kingdom.

After the fall of the Qin dynasty, Sima Ang declared himself the king of a separate state, Yin (殷), with its capital in Henei (河內; in present-day Henan).

His grandson, Sima Yan, usurped the throne from the last Cao Wei emperor and established the Jin dynasty.

After the Jin dynasty ended, many members of the Sima clan changed their surname to avoid persecution.