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

Smit, 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 Smit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smit in America

Smit is the 10186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smit surname appeared 3,164 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 Smit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smit 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 Smit

The surname "SMIT" is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the late medieval period, sometime around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Middle Dutch word "smit," which means "blacksmith" or "metalworker." This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who worked as blacksmiths or in a related trade involving metalwork.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SMIT" can be found in the Leiden Records of 1366, where a certain "Jan Smit" is mentioned. In the 15th century, the name appeared in various Dutch records, such as the Leiden Memorie en Wedde-boeken from 1428-1438, where a "Willem Pietersz Smit" is listed.

The surname "SMIT" is also found in other historical records from the Netherlands, including the Dordrecht Oud-rechterlijk Archief from the late 15th century, where a "Cornelis Smit" is mentioned. The name's association with metalworking and blacksmithing is evident in these early records, as many individuals with the surname "SMIT" were listed as working in those professions.

One notable individual with the surname "SMIT" was Hendrik Smit (1562-1629), a Dutch painter and engraver from Haarlem. Another prominent figure was Pieter Smit (1547-1600), a Dutch scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Leiden.

In the 17th century, the surname "SMIT" gained wider recognition through individuals like Jan Smit (1622-1673), a Dutch Golden Age painter, and Michiel Jansz Smit (1613-1688), a Dutch East India Company officer who served as the Governor of Malacca from 1677 to 1678.

The name also spread beyond the Netherlands, with individuals bearing the surname "SMIT" appearing in other parts of Europe and eventually in North America and other regions due to Dutch emigration and colonization efforts.

While the spelling "SMIT" is the most common variation, other spellings like "SMITT," "SCHMIDT," and "SMITH" have also emerged over time, particularly in areas with strong Dutch or Germanic influences. The surname "SMIT" has a rich history rooted in the metalworking traditions of the Netherlands, and its enduring presence across generations and regions reflects its significance in Dutch culture and heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smit

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

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

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

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