Contents [hide]

Smethurst History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Smethurst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Smethurst family

The surname Smethurst was first found in Lancashire at either Smethurst or Smithurst, both lost locations that are presumed to have been in the near Rochdale or Bury. 1

One source claims the name is a "habitational name from a minor place near Manchester, so called from the Old English "smeeth" + "hryst." 2

Other sources agree with slightly different spellings: having derived from the words "smeeth" and "hurst" which together meant "the wood of the plain" 3 or "the smith's wood." 4

In early times, the family were Lords of the manor of Chorley in Lancashire as this is where the coat of arms is recorded, but we must look to Cheshire to find the most early records of the family. There we found the Wills at Chester listing Richard Meadowcroft, of Smethurst, 1581; John Smethurst, of Blakeley, 1582; and Richard Smethurst, of Bury, 1618. While Richard Meadowcroft has no known relationship to the family, this source proves that Smethurst still existed in 1581. According to the Register of the University of Oxford, Richard Smethurst, from Cheshire attended there 1591-1592. 1

Early History of the Smethurst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Smethurst research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1881 is included under the topic Early Smethurst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Smethurst Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Smethurst, Smethirst and others.

Early Notables of the Smethurst family

Distinguished members of the family include

James Smethurst, of Gartmore, co...

Smethurst migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Smethurst Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Smethurst who settled in Virginia in 1699

Smethurst Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Smethurst, who settled in New England in 1705

Smethurst Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Smethurst, aged 23, British settler who arrived in New York in 1841 aboard the ship "Montreal" 5
Ellis Smethurst, aged 19, British settler who arrived in New York in 1842 aboard the ship "Columbus" 5
Richard, Robert, and Samuel Smethurst all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1844 and 1862
John Smethurst, aged 83, settler who arrived in New York in 1852 aboard the ship "Joseph Waching" 5
Violet Smethurst, aged 23, British settler who arrived in New York in 1857 aboard the ship "City of Washington" 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Smethurst Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Albert J. Smethurst, aged 26, who landed in America from Ashton on Mersly, in 1905
Charles E. Smethurst, aged 8, who landed in America from Chorlton, England, in 1909
Charles E. Smethurst, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States from Egremont, England, in 1909
George Smethurst, aged 18, who settled in America from Manchester, England, in 1909
Frank Smethurst, aged 22, who landed in America from Bury, England, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Smethurst migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Smethurst Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Smethurst, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Agincourt" on July 6, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6

Smethurst Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

William Smethurst, British settler who arrived in Fremantle, Australia in 1909 aboard the ship "Otranto" 7
Colin Smethurst, British settler who arrived in Fremantle, Australia in 1910 aboard the ship "Osterley" 7
Erie Smethurst, British settler who arrived in Fremantle, Australia in 1910 aboard the ship "Osterley" 7
Mrs. F. M. Smethurst, British settler who arrived in Fremantle, Australia in 1910 aboard the ship "Osterley" 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Smethurst (post 1700) +

Gamaliel Smethurst (1738-1826), American planter in Nova Scotia, Canada who became a politician who represented Cumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1765 to 1770
Arthur M. Smethurst, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Passaic County, 1906 8
Richard Good Smethurst (b. 1941), English academic, Provost of Worcester College, Oxford, England
Michael Smethurst (b. 1976), English cricketer, a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler who played for Lancashire between 1999 and 2002
Allan Francis Smethurst (1927-2000), English folk singer and postman, aka The Singing Postman, best known for his self-penned novelty song, "Hev Yew Gotta Loight, Boy?", which earned him an Ivor Novello Award in 1966
Adam Smethurst, English actor and writer who has appeared in TV dramas including Casualty, Marple and Lewis, son of Jack Smethurst
Jack Smethurst (1932-2022), English television and film comic actor, best known for his role as Eddie Booth in the British television sitcom Love Thy Neighbour
John Smethurst (1793-1859), English Unitarian minister, son of a farmer, born at Failsworth, near Manchester
Daniel Smethurst (b. 1990), British tennis player and coach, who has played on the ITF Circuit and ATP Challenger Tour, his highest ATP singles ranking of World No. 234 and on 28 July 2014 reached his highest doubles ranking of No. 159
Rebecca Smethurst, British astrophysicist, author, and YouTuber who is a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, recipient of the 2020 Caroline Herschel Prize Lectureship awarded by the Royal Astronomical Society as well as the 2020 Mary Somerville Medal and Prize awarded by the Institute of Physics
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Smethurst family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Harold Smethurst, English 3rd Class passenger residing in New Philadelphia, Ohio, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9
Mrs. Alice Ann Smethurst, English 3rd Class passenger residing in New Philadelphia, Ohio, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9

The Smethurst Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Alta peto
Motto Translation: Aim at high things

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Agincourt voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 226 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agincourt/1844
national Archives of Australia retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/