Show ContentsSchmied History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Schmied family

The surname Schmied was first found in the northern provinces that were later to make up Prussia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region.

Early History of the Schmied family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schmied research. Another 237 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1537, 1564, 1618, 1630, 1648, 1708, 1752, 1764, 1766, 1768, 1787, 1815, 1817, 1837, 1838, 1849, 1853, 1854, 1875, 1876, 1880 and 1918 are included under the topic Early Schmied History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schmied Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Schmied include Schmidt (northern Germany), Schmid (southern Germany), Schmitz (Rhineland), Schmied, Schmitt, Smith (English) and many more.

Early Notables of the Schmied family

Notable figures of the time with the name Schmied were Bernhard Schmidt (1630-1708), known as "Father Smith", who was a famous organ builder; Georg Philipp Schmidt (1766-1849), known as "Schmidt from Luebeck", who was a physician and Romantic poet; Friederich Wilhelm Schmidt (1764-1838), who was a Prussian pastor and poet; Christoph von Schmid (1768-1854), Roman Catholic priest and writer of Christmas...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Schmied Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Schmied migration to the United States +

Much of German history has been shaped by the state of Prussia. It was an enduring military power until after the Second World War. At that time, the state was abolished altogether and its land divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. While some Prussians were content to remain in those countries, others moved away, many of them migrating to North America. They entered the United States mostly through Philadelphia, moving on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others went to Canada, settling on the prairies and in the province of Ontario. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Schmied Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Lenhart Alterfer Schmied, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 [1]
  • Barbara Schmied, who arrived in America in 1749 [1]
  • Christian Schmied, who landed in New York in 1784 [1]
Schmied Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Gottfried Schmied, who arrived in Kentucky in 1883 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Schmied (post 1700) +

  • Kenneth Albert Schmied (1911-1973), American Republican politician, Furniture business; Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, 1965-69; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 1972 [2]
  • J. D. Schmied, American Republican politician, Mayor of New Martinsville, West Virginia, 1934 [2]


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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