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

Nesmith, 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 Nesmith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nesmith in America

Nesmith is the 4955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nesmith surname appeared 7,097 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Nesmith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nesmith 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 Nesmith

The surname Nesmith has its origins in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "niwu" and "smiþ," meaning "new" and "smith" respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a new or recent blacksmith in their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nesmith surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a collection of administrative records from various counties in England. Here, the name appeared as "Neuesmyth." This spelling variation provides insight into the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the Nesmith surname appeared in various records, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it was listed as "Newsmyth." This further reinforces the connection between the name and the occupation of blacksmithing.

During the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Nesmith surname was Rowland Nesmith, who was born in England around 1520. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, a prestigious guild in London.

The 17th century saw the emergence of the Nesmith family in the American colonies. One of the earliest documented individuals was Thomas Nesmith, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and later settled in Massachusetts. His descendants played significant roles in the colonial and revolutionary eras.

In the 18th century, a prominent individual with the Nesmith surname was James Nesmith, born in 1740 in Massachusetts. He served as a lieutenant in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a respected judge and politician in New Hampshire.

The 19th century witnessed the rise of several notable figures bearing the Nesmith name. One such individual was John Nesmith, born in 1793 in New Hampshire. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist who established the Nesmith Free Library in his hometown.

Another prominent figure from this era was James Willis Nesmith, born in 1820 in New Hampshire. He was a lawyer, politician, and military officer who served as a United States Senator from Oregon and played a crucial role in the establishment of Oregon's statehood.

In the 20th century, the Nesmith surname continued to be represented by accomplished individuals, including actress and singer Carly Nesmith, born in 1944, and musician Michael Nesmith, born in 1942, who rose to fame as a member of the popular band The Monkees.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nesmith

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

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

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

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