2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Smedra
A variant of the Dutch surname "Smederij," meaning blacksmith.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Smedra. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Smedra surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Smedra in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Smedra, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Smedra
The surname Smedra has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, particularly in the areas that are now modern-day Poland and Ukraine. The name is believed to have emerged sometime during the 11th or 12th century, likely derived from an old Slavic word related to blacksmithing or metalworking.
One of the earliest known references to the name Smedra can be found in a Polish manuscript from the 13th century, which mentions a village called Smedrow. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a particular location or settlement before becoming a hereditary surname.
During the Middle Ages, the Smedra name appeared sporadically in various records and documents across the Slavic lands. One notable mention is in a land deed from 1412, which cites a certain Jakub Smedra as a witness to a property transaction in the town of Brzesko, located in what is now southern Poland.
In the 16th century, a man by the name of Andrzej Smedra was recorded as a prominent blacksmith and metalworker in the city of Krakow. His work was highly regarded, and he is said to have crafted intricate pieces for the local nobility and wealthy merchants.
As the centuries progressed, the Smedra name spread across Eastern Europe, with several individuals making their mark in various fields. One such figure was Iwan Smedra, a Ukrainian scholar and linguist who lived from 1768 to 1835. He was known for his contributions to the study of Slavic languages and his efforts to preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage.
Another noteworthy bearer of the Smedra name was Zofia Smedra, a Polish artist and painter who lived from 1892 to 1975. Her works, which often depicted rural landscapes and scenes from everyday life, are celebrated for their vibrant colors and meticulous attention to detail.
In the 20th century, the name Smedra gained recognition in the field of literature with the emergence of Andrei Smedra, a renowned Russian writer and poet who lived from 1921 to 2003. His works, which explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated following.
While the surname Smedra may not be as widespread as some other Eastern European names, it has a rich and diverse history that spans centuries and encompasses various professions and artistic pursuits. From its humble beginnings as a village name to its association with skilled craftsmen and esteemed scholars, the name Smedra has left an indelible mark on the cultural tapestry of the Slavic regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Smedra
Among Census respondents with the surname Smedra, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Smedra bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Smedra surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Smedra
Smedra appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+10 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 894 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-7 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,138 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 894 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 6,138 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Smedra surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #146,201 | #152,339 | -4.2% |
| Count | 113 | 106 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Smedra bearers went from 113 to 106 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 6,138 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #152,339.
FAQ
Smedra surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Smedra?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Smedra. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Smedra?
Smedra ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Smedra. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Smedra.
Has Smedra become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Smedra went from 113 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Smedra?
Among Census respondents with the surname Smedra, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Smedra in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Smedra appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Smedra (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Smedra mean?
A variant of the Dutch surname "Smederij," meaning blacksmith. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Smedra (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Smedra?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.