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

Smee, 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 Smee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smee in America

Smee is the 46902nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smee surname appeared 453 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Smee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smee 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 Smee

The surname Smee originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "smæc," which means "smoke" or "smoky." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked in a smoky environment, such as a blacksmith or a baker.

The earliest known record of the Smee surname dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Berkshire from 1273, there is a reference to a person named Richard Smee, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

Over the centuries, the Smee surname has been recorded with various spellings, including Smee, Smeigh, Smey, and Smye. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects, scribal errors, and the lack of standardized spelling conventions in earlier times.

One notable historical figure associated with the Smee surname was John Smee (c. 1545-1628), an English mathematician and astronomer. He was a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, and contributed to the development of mathematical and astronomical knowledge during the Elizabethan era.

Another individual worth mentioning is Sir John Smee (1784-1857), a British surgeon and pioneer in the field of electrochemistry. He made significant contributions to the understanding of galvanic cells and the electrodeposition of metals.

In literature, the character of Mr. Smee appears in J.M. Barrie's famous play "Peter Pan" (1904) and its subsequent adaptations. Mr. Smee is portrayed as the comic and obsequious sidekick to the villainous Captain Hook, adding an element of humor to the classic children's tale.

Other notable figures with the Smee surname include Alfred Smee (1818-1877), a British surgeon and writer known for his books on gardening and natural history, and William Smee (1818-1904), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the Victorian era.

While the Smee surname may have originated from humble beginnings as a descriptive nickname, it has been carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields throughout history, including mathematics, astronomy, medicine, literature, and architecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smee

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

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

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

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