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

Messersmith, 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 Messersmith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Messersmith in America

Messersmith is the 13703rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Messersmith surname appeared 2,209 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 Messersmith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Messersmith 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 Messersmith

The surname Messersmith is of German origin, originating in the Middle Ages. It is an occupational surname derived from the Middle High German words "messer" (knife) and "smit" (smith), referring to a craftsman who made knives or other edged tools.

The name first appeared in historical records in the 14th century in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where the metalworking trade was prevalent. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the town records of Nuremberg, which mention a Cunrad Messersmidd in 1386.

In the 15th century, the name spread to other parts of Germany, as well as to neighboring regions such as Switzerland and Austria. The town of Messersmith, located in the present-day German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, is believed to have been named after a family of knifemakers who lived there.

Notable individuals with the surname Messersmith include Hans Messersmith (1492-1562), a renowned bladesmith from Augsburg, whose knives were prized throughout Europe. Johannes Messersmith (1617-1696), a German-born blacksmith, was among the early settlers in Pennsylvania, arriving in 1683.

In the 18th century, several members of the Messersmith family were involved in the American Revolutionary War. Jacob Messersmith (1744-1823) served as a private in the Continental Army, while his brother John Messersmith (1748-1812) was a member of the militia in Pennsylvania.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Messersmith (1826-1901), a German immigrant to the United States who became a successful businessman and philanthropist in Ohio. He founded the Messersmith Manufacturing Company, which produced agricultural equipment.

Other individuals with the surname include the German-American diplomat George S. Messersmith (1885-1960), who served as the United States Ambassador to Austria and Mexico during the 1930s and 1940s, and the American baseball player Jim Messersmith (1944-2022), who played in the major leagues from 1966 to 1979.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Messersmith

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

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 Messersmith 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 Messersmith 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 Messersmith was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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