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

Smitty, 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 Smitty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smitty in America

Smitty is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smitty surname appeared 215 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 Smitty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smitty 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 Smitty

The surname Smitty is derived from the occupational name Smith, which originated from the Old English word 'smitan', meaning to strike or hammer. This name came into existence during the medieval period when surnames first arose, and it was initially used to identify blacksmiths and metalworkers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Smitty can be traced back to England in the 13th century, where it was often spelled as Smyth or Smythe. These early spellings reflect the regional dialects and language variations of the time. Some of the earliest recorded bearers of the name include John Smyth, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, and Robert le Smyth, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

Throughout the centuries, the name Smitty has been associated with various notable figures, including Sir Thomas Smythe (1558-1625), an English merchant and diplomat who served as the governor of the East India Company. Another prominent individual was Captain John Smith (1580-1631), an English soldier, author, and one of the founders of the Jamestown colony in Virginia.

The surname Smitty has also been connected to various place names, such as Smithton in Gloucestershire, England, and Smithfield in London, which was once renowned for its metalworking activities. The name has undergone various spelling variations over time, including Smyttie, Smythie, and Smittie, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic changes.

In the United States, the surname Smitty gained prominence with individuals like Smitty Renick (1922-2015), a renowned American jazz drummer who performed with various prominent musicians, and Smitty Gatling (1939-2002), an American football player who played for the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams.

Other notable bearers of the surname Smitty include John Smitty Smith (1914-1986), an American professional baseball player, and Robert Smitty Smith (1914-1985), an American jazz drummer and bandleader active in the 1940s and 1950s.

While the surname Smitty is relatively uncommon compared to its root name Smith, it has a rich historical lineage that can be traced back to the medieval era, reflecting the significance of metalworking and blacksmithing in shaping cultural identities and occupational surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smitty

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

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

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

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