Surname Origin

The Smith Surname


Meaning
one who works metal
Type
Occupational
Root
Old English smið
Chiefly
Throughout England and Scotland

The commonest surname in the English-speaking world, for the plain reason that every settlement needed a smith and only one at a time. The Old English smið covered anyone who worked metal, from the blacksmith to the goldsmith.

Its equivalents run through Europe — Schmidt, Ferrari, Herrero, Kowalski, Lefebvre — and are usually near the top of their own national lists for the same reason.

Bestow the name a title it never had

An honorific Lord or Lady certificate in the Smith name, hand-finished and sealed, with a square metre of Scottish woodland dedicated alongside it. A novelty, magnificently done — and a good deal more fun than a family tree.

Choose a Package The Peerage Chart