Smidt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Early Origins of the Smidt family

The surname Smidt 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 Smidt family

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

Smidt Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Smidt include Schmidt (northern Germany), Schmid (southern Germany), Schmitz (Rhineland), Schmied, Schmitt, Smith (English) and many more.

Early Notables of the Smidt family

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 carols, who was ennobled in 1837; Hermann Theodor Schmid (1815-1880)...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Smidt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Smidt Ranking

the United States, the name Smidt is the 13,405^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Smidt migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Smidts to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Smidt Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johanis Smidt, aged 24, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 2
Katherin Smidt, aged 30, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 2
Peter Smidt, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Pieter Smidt, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
John Peter Smidt, aged 30, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Smidt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J H Smidt, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
Henry Smidt, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1835 2
Jacobus Smidt, aged 5, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 2
Dina Smidt, aged 10, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 2
Francina Smidt, aged 3, who landed in New York, NY in 1846 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Smidt (post 1700) +

Orville B. Smidt (1943-2025), American politician, Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005 and in the Senate from 2005 to 2009
Eric Smidt, American businessman, Chairman and CEO of Harbor Freight Tools
Heinrich Smidt (1798-1867), German author who wrote about adventure stories about the sea
Karl Ernst Smidt (1903-1984), German Kapitän zur See with the Kriegsmarine during World War II, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Johann Smidt (1773-1857), German politician, theologian, and founder of Bremerhaven
Hendrik Jan Smidt (1831-1917), Dutch politician, Governo-General of Suriname (1885 to 1888)

Historic Events for the Smidt family +

SS Atlantic

Jacob Smidt, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, survived the sinking

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)