Smeath Surname History

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Smeath

The proud Smeath family originated in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. The Smeath family originally lived at the village of Smeeth, in the county of Kent.

Early Origins of the Smeath family

Early History of the Smeath family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Smeath research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1275, 1279, 1573 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Smeath History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Smeath Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Smeed, Smead, Smee, Smeeth, Smethe, Smeath, Smye and many more.

Early Notables of the Smeath family

More information is included under the topic Early Smeath Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Smeath family to Ireland

Some of the Smeath family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.