Smit History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
Germany

Early Origins of the Smit family

The surname Smit 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 Smit family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Smit 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 Smit History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Smit Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Smit include Schmidt (northern Germany), Schmid (southern Germany), Schmitz (Rhineland), Schmied, Schmitt, Smith (English) and many more.

Early Notables of the Smit family

Notable figures of the time with the name Smit were

Bernhard Schmidt (1630-1708), known as "Father Smith", who was a famous organ builder

Smit World Ranking

In the United States, the name Smit is the 12,725^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Netherlands, the name Smit is ranked the 8^th most popular surname with an estimated 46,824 people with that name. 2 And in South Africa, the name Smit is the 59^th popular surname with an estimated 72,776 people with that name. 3

Smit migration to the United States +

Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Smit were

Smit Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Lucas Smit, who landed in New York, NY in 1641 4
Jan Smit, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1642 4
Huybert Smit, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1653 4
Anna Meinderts Smit, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1654 4
Dirck Smit, who landed in America in 1654 4

Smit Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Bernhart Smit, who landed in New York in 1709 4
Andries Smit, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
Andries Smit, who arrived in America in 1709
Hendrig Smit, who landed in New York in 1709 4
Daniel Smit, who landed in New York in 1709 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Smit Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francina Smit, aged 3, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 4
Geeradus Smit, aged 12, who landed in New York, NY in 1846 4
George H Smit, who landed in New York, NY in 1846 4
Gezina Smit, aged 36, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 4
Dina Smit, aged 10, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Smit (post 1700) +

Leo Smit (1921-1999), American composer
Raymond J. Smit (b. 1928), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1964; Member of Michigan State House of Representatives, 1967-74 5
Hugo Smit, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Libau, 1897-1905 5
Theo Smit (1951-2023), Dutch professional road bicycle racer
Theodora Adriana "Dore" Smit (1933-2021), Dutch actress and presenter, active between 1960 and 1999
Adrianus Wilhelmus "Arie" Smit (1916-2016), Dutch-born Indonesian painter
Joseph Smit (1836-1929), Dutch zoological illustrator
Arij Smit (1907-1970), Dutch boxer at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Johannes Chrishostomos "Kick" Smit (1911-1974), Dutch footballer
Sylvia Smit (b. 1986), Dutch female international footballer
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html