Find out how popular the last name Highsmith is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Highsmith.

Highsmith, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Highsmith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Highsmith in America

Highsmith is the 7721st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Highsmith surname appeared 4,299 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Highsmith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Highsmith to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Highsmith

The surname Highsmith is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "heh" meaning high and "smi" meaning smith, referring to a blacksmith or metalworker who lived or worked on higher ground or a hill.

The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Heismithe" and "Heghesmythe", indicating its early presence in various parts of England. Over the centuries, the spelling evolved into Highsmith, Hysmyth, and other variations.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Highsmith, a landowner and farmer from Leicestershire, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1200. In the 14th century, records show a Robert Highsmith serving as a bailiff in the city of York.

Notable historical figures with the surname Highsmith include Sir Thomas Highsmith (1565-1631), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was Reverend William Highsmith (1687-1754), a renowned Anglican clergyman and author of several religious texts.

In the 18th century, the Highsmith family had a presence in the American colonies, with records indicating that John Highsmith (1725-1789) was a farmer and landowner in Virginia. His son, Samuel Highsmith (1760-1835), served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

During the 19th century, the surname gained further recognition with individuals like Charles Highsmith (1810-1892), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Philadelphia, and Captain James Highsmith (1835-1910), a decorated officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

The Highsmith name has been associated with various places and locations throughout history, such as Highsmith Hill in Derbyshire, England, and Highsmith County in Virginia, USA, both named after members of the Highsmith family who were prominent landowners in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Highsmith

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Highsmith.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Highsmith was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Highsmith has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Highsmith was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Highsmith, please contact us.

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