2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Smithyman
A surname potentially derived from a variation of "smith" combined with a diminutive patronymic suffix.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Smithyman. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Smithyman 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Smithyman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Smithyman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Smithyman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Smithyman
The surname SMITHYMAN is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period, specifically to the occupation of a blacksmith or metalworker. The name is derived from the Old English words "smið" meaning "smith" and "mann" meaning "man," essentially translating to "smith man" or "blacksmith."
The earliest known recorded instances of the SMITHYMAN surname can be found in parish records and tax rolls from various counties in England, such as Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Some variations in spelling include Smytheman, Smythemanm, and Smithmane, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records during that era.
While the SMITHYMAN surname does not appear in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, it is likely that the name emerged in the centuries following the Norman Conquest, as the demand for skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths increased with the growth of towns and villages across England.
One notable historical figure bearing the SMITHYMAN surname was John Smithyman, a prominent merchant and alderman who lived in the city of York during the late 16th century. He was actively involved in the city's governance and served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1584.
Another well-known individual with this surname was William Smithyman (1675-1743), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Nottinghamshire. He is credited with creating several innovative clock designs and mechanisms, some of which are still preserved in museums today.
In the 18th century, Robert Smithyman (1712-1784) was a respected Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to theological discourse during his lifetime.
The SMITHYMAN surname also has connections to the village of Smithyman's Green, located in the county of Hertfordshire. This place name likely derived from a family or individual bearing the SMITHYMAN surname who resided in or owned land in the area during the medieval or early modern period.
In the 19th century, Henry Smithyman (1819-1893) was a prominent industrialist and entrepreneur from Yorkshire. He founded the Smithyman Engineering Company, which played a significant role in the development of steam engines and machinery during the Industrial Revolution.
While the SMITHYMAN surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history rooted in the skilled trade of blacksmithing, with many individuals bearing this name leaving their mark across various professions and regions throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Smithyman
Among Census respondents with the surname Smithyman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Smithyman 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 Smithyman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Smithyman
Smithyman 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,758 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,564 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 7,758 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,564 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 Smithyman 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 | #153,769 | #150,205 | 2.3% |
| Count | 106 | 109 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Smithyman bearers went from 106 to 109 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,564 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,205.
FAQ
Smithyman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Smithyman?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Smithyman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Smithyman?
Smithyman ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Smithyman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Smithyman.
Has Smithyman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Smithyman went from 106 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Smithyman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Smithyman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Smithyman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Smithyman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Hispanic (8.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Smithyman (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 Smithyman mean?
A surname potentially derived from a variation of "smith" combined with a diminutive patronymic suffix. 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 Smithyman (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 share the surname Smithyman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.