![]() A close-up of a blacksmith at work; Smith became a popular last name for those with this occupation. | |
Pronunciation | /ˈsmɪθ/ |
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Origin | |
Word/name | Old English |
Meaning | From smitan (to smite) |
Region of origin | England |
Other names | |
Variant form(s) | Numerous |
[1][2] |
Smith is an occupational surname[3] originating in England. It is the most prevalent surname in the United Kingdom,[1][4] the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand,[5] and the fifth most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. In the United States, the surname Smith is particularly prevalent among those of English, Scottish, and Irish descent,[6] but is also a common surname among African-Americans, which can be attributed either to African slaves having been given the surname of their masters, or to being an occupational name, as some southern African-Americans took this surname to reflect their or their father's trade.[7] 2,442,977 Americans shared the surname Smith at the time of the 2010 census,[8] and more than 500,000 people shared it in the United Kingdom as of 2006.[9] At the turn of the 20th century, the surname was sufficiently prevalent in England to have prompted the statement: "Common to every village in England, north, south, east, and west";[10] and sufficiently common on the (European) continent (in various forms) to be "common in most countries of Europe".[11]