Dictionary

Smith en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• (Canada) audio
• /smɪθ/

Etymology

From smith or Middle English Smith (“a surname”), alternative form of Smyth, itself from smyth (“smith”). Doublet of Schmidt, Smid, and Smit.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An English surname originating as an occupation (the most common in Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand).
   • John is a most excellent name, and Smith is a surname which is worthy of respect and honor, but wo to the man on whom they are conjoined! For John Smith to aspire to senatorial dignities or to the laurel of a poet is simply ridiculous. Who is John Smith? He is lost in the multitude of John Smiths, and individual fame is impossible. 1852 August 14, D. H. Jacques, “A Chapter on Names”, in The Knickerbocker, or, New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XL, page 114:
   • This ſyſtem, as it was much eſteemed by many antient fathers of the chriſtian church, ſo after the reformation it was adopted by feveral divines of the moſt eminent piety and learning and of the moſt amiable manners; particularly, by Dr. Ralph Cudworth, by Dr. Henry More, and by Mr. John Smith of Cambridge. 1759, Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, pages 360–361:
   • [Smith is] Common to every village in England, north, south, east, and west. There are 300,000 Smiths in England. 1901, Charles Wareing Bardsley, “Smith”, in A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances, London: Henry Frowde, page 699:
   • Clearly the more numerous the holders of a surname, the more likely it is to be polygenic – that is, having arisen in many different places. In no case discovered, however, is a name evenly distributed among the population, though Smith comes close to it. 2024, Colin Rogers, The Surname Detective: Investigating Surname Distribution in England Since 1086, Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page 71:
   • Jada Pinkett Smith found herself at the center of conflict when her husband Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars ceremony March 27. Rock joked about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head – a look she has said is more than a style preference. 2022 June 1, Kristen Rogers, “What causes alopecia, a ‘devastating’ hair loss condition affecting Jada Pinkett Smith”, in CNN, archived from the original on 20 Oct 2022:
   • Patingham selmonger, who, as it was reported, reneuced the Arians opinion before he dyed. The xvi. daye were burned [at the stake], at Staines. Robert Smith[,] painter, who in the tyme of his imprisonment, wrate byuers thinges in Metre, which were after put in print. At Stortford Stephan Harwoode Alebruer. And at Ware Thomas Fuſſe Jerkenmaker. 1559, Thomas Lanquet, Thomas Cooper, Robert Crowley, An Epitome of Cronicles, London: Thomas Marshe:
2. (countable, uncountable) A male given name transferred from the surname.
3. (countable, uncountable) Several places in the United States: ▸ An unincorporated community in LaPorte County, Indiana.
4. (countable, uncountable) Several places in the United States: ▸ An unincorporated community in Harlan County, Kentucky.
5. (countable, uncountable) Several places in the United States: ▸ An unincorporated community in York County, South Carolina.
6. (countable, uncountable) Several places in the United States: ▸ A small unincorporated community in Lyon County, Nevada, named for an early settler family.
7. (countable, uncountable) Several places in the United States: ▸ A ghost town in Humboldt County, California.
8. (countable, uncountable) Several places in the United States: ▸ A number of townships in the United States, listed under Smith Township.
9. (countable, uncountable) A hamlet in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River, northern Alberta, Canada.
10. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in Douglas County, Oregon, United States, a tributary of the Umpqua River.
11. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in Montana, United States, a tributary of the Missouri.
12. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in Yukon and British Columbia, Canada, a tributary of the Liard River.
13. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in Virginia and North Carolina, United States, a tributary of the Dan River.
14. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in California, United States, flowing from the Klamath Mountains into the Pacific.
15. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in New Hampshire, United States, a tributary of the Pemigewasset River.
16. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in Linn County, Oregon, United States, a tributary of the McKenzie River.
17. (countable, uncountable) Several rivers: ▸ A river in Quebec, Canada, a tributary of the Montmorency River.
18. (countable, uncountable) Smith College (a women's college in Massachusetts, U.S.)

Forms

Deriveds

Riley-Smith syndrome · Smith system · Lorrain Smith effect · Smith-Martin-Dodd syndrome · Paul Smiths · IDS · Deaf Smith County · Marshall-Smith syndrome · Smithy · Kingsford Smith · Smiths Station · Fort Smith · Ruvalcaba-Myhre-Smith syndrome · Smith & Wesson · Smiths Falls · Aase-Smith syndrome · Smith Center · John Smith · Smith-Petersen nail · Smith County · Smith-Fineman-Myers syndrome · Smith-Magenis syndrome · Smithian · Smithtown · Smiths Creek · Smith squat · Smithville · Smithton · Smithsburg

Descendants

smithi

Synonyms

Smiths Turnout

Translations (112)

et Sepp (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ja 加治屋 (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sq Nallbani (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · uk Коваль (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · si ස්මිත් (transliterations of the name Smith) · lt Kalvaitis (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · oc Fabré (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · fi Seppänen (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ga Mac Gabhann (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ja スミス (transliterations of the name Smith) · fa زرگر (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · pt Ferreiro (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ka მჭედლიშვილი (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · cmn 史密斯 (transliterations of the name Smith) · be Сміт (transliterations of the name Smith) · gd Gobha (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · fi Seppä (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · kw An Gov (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · es Herrera (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · fr Lefebvre (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · pl Kowalski (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ru Ковалёв (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · oc Fabre (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · iu ᔅᒥᑦ (transliterations of the name Smith) · fr Lefébure (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · el Σιδέρης (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · mk Смит (transliterations of the name Smith) · pl Kowalczuk (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · da Smed (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · tr Demirci (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · it Ferreri (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sv Smed (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · oc Fauré (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ca Ferrer (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sl Kovač (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sh Kovačević (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · he סמית׳ (transliterations of the name Smith) · es Herrero (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · de Schmid (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · pl Kowal (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · uk Сміт (transliterations of the name Smith) · nl Smid (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ru Смит (transliterations of the name Smith) · ar حَدَّاد (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ja 鍛冶屋 (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · lv Kalējs (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · te స్మిత్ (transliterations of the name Smith) · mr स्मिथ (transliterations of the name Smith) · ja 加治 (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · it Ferrero (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · it Ferro (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ja 鍛治屋 (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · lv Smits (transliterations of the name Smith) · he סמית (transliterations of the name Smith) · ru Кузнецо́в (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · pl Kowalczyk (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · de Schmitz (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sh Kovač (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · hy Դարբինյան (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ta ஸ்மித் (transliterations of the name Smith) · de Schmidt (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · fr Lefèvre (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sk Kováč (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · hi स्मिथ (transliterations of the name Smith) · fi Seppäläinen (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · cs Kovář (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ro Fieraru (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · lv Smita (transliterations of the name Smith) · it Ferri (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · hi सोनी (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · hu Kovács (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · nv Etsiddy (anglicized) (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ja 鍛冶 (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · no Smed (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · hy Սմիթ (transliterations of the name Smith) · lv Kalēja (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ka სმიტ (transliterations of the name Smith) · sh Smit (transliterations of the name Smith) · sh Smith (transliterations of the name Smith) · de Schmied (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ko 스미스 (transliterations of the name Smith) · sk Kováčik (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · pt Ferreira (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · fi Seppälä (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · rom Petulengro (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sh Ковач (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · gd Mac a' Ghobhainn (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ja 鍛治 (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · vi Xmít (transliterations of the name Smith) · ar سْمِيث (transliterations of the name Smith) · oc Faure (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · de Schmitt (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · it Fabbri (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · th สมิธ (transliterations of the name Smith) · bg Смит (transliterations of the name Smith) · hi लोहार (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · el Σιδεράς (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sh Ковачевић (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · ka ჭკადუა (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · el Σμιθ (transliterations of the name Smith) · sl Kovačič (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · br Ar Gov (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · bg Кова́чев (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · it Ferrari (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · gl Ferreiro (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · th สมิท (transliterations of the name Smith) · nv Atsidii (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · gv Mac y Ghaauin (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · sh Смит (transliterations of the name Smith) · fa اسمیت (transliterations of the name Smith) · nl Smit (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”) · it Ferraro (surnames derived from the equivalents of “smith”)