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

Smyly, 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 Smyly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smyly in America

Smyly is the 50196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smyly surname appeared 417 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 Smyly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smyly 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 Smyly

The surname SMYLY has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "smylige," which means "pleasant" or "pleasing." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone with a cheerful or amiable personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SMYLY surname can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dated 1348. This document mentions a person named "Johannes Smyly," suggesting that the name was already in use during that time period.

In the 15th century, the SMYLY name appeared in several historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1449, where a "Thomas Smyly" was listed. The Hearth Tax Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1674 also recorded a "John Smyly," indicating the name's continued presence in various parts of England.

The SMYLY surname has undergone some spelling variations over the centuries, such as "Smylie," "Smyllie," and "Smilie." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable figure bearing the SMYLY surname was Sir John Smyly (1697-1778), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a member of the Irish House of Commons for Antrim County. Another prominent individual was George Smyly (1838-1900), an Irish clergyman and writer who served as the Dean of Derry.

Other individuals of historical significance include William Smyly (1857-1932), an Irish obstetrician and gynecologist who made significant contributions to the field of obstetrics, and John Smyly (1766-1834), an Irish artist and miniature painter known for his portraits of notable figures.

Additionally, the SMYLY name has been associated with various place names, such as Smyly's Hill in County Offaly, Ireland, and Smyly's Town in County Westmeath, Ireland. These place names may have derived from individuals bearing the SMYLY surname who had connections to those locations.

While the SMYLY surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Ireland, the United States, and other English-speaking countries, reflecting the migration patterns of people bearing this name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smyly

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!