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

Schmitt, 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 Schmitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schmitt in America

Schmitt is the 967th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schmitt surname appeared 36,043 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Schmitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schmitt 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 Schmitt

The surname Schmitt has its origins in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Schmied," which means "blacksmith." The name likely originated as an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a blacksmith or metalworker.

In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "Smit" or "Smyt" in various Germanic regions during the 13th and 14th centuries. Over time, the spelling evolved to include variations such as "Schmid," "Schmitt," and "Schmidt," with the latter becoming the most common form in Germany.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the 12th century. This work mentions an individual named "Cunradus Smit" in a document dated 1181.

The surname Schmitt has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Johannes Schmitt (1535-1597) was a German theologian and Protestant reformer who played a significant role in the Reformation movement. Another prominent figure was Carl Christian Schmitt (1768-1854), a German composer and music theorist known for his contributions to the development of harmony and counterpoint.

In the realm of art, Max Schmitt (1874-1940) was a German painter and printmaker celebrated for his landscapes and etchings. His contemporary, Otto Schmitt (1875-1956), was a German architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other German cities.

One of the most renowned individuals bearing the surname Schmitt was Carl Schmitt (1888-1985), a German jurist, political theorist, and prominent figure in the field of constitutional law. His influential works, such as "Political Theology" and "The Concept of the Political," explored the relationship between law, politics, and sovereignty.

While the surname Schmitt originated as an occupational name in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural diffusion. However, its roots can be traced back to the skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths of medieval Germany, whose legacy lives on in this enduring family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schmitt

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

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

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

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