Surname Smittzer - Meaning and Origin
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Smittzer: What does the surname Smittzer mean?
The last name Smittzer is of German origin. It is a locational name derived from the Middle High German "smize," which means "a small village." During the Middle Ages, when people began taking on last names to help distinguish them from others with the same given name, those who lived in or near a small village adopted the village's name as a surname. The name may also be a combination of the words "smid," meaning "smith," and "tzaar," which is an archaic form of the word "tzar" and refers to a person with power or influence. As such, the surname Smittzer may refer to someone who worked as a blacksmith and was an influential figure in the community. Alternatively, it could refer to someone who simply came from or lived in a small village.
Order DNA origin analysisSmittzer: Where does the name Smittzer come from?
The last name Smittzer is most commonly found in the United States today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2018, there were more than 8,000 individuals with the last name Smittzer living in the United States. The states with the highest concentration of the last name were Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Michigan, and Ohio.
Pennsylvania had the largest concentration of Smittzers in 2018 with 2,881 individuals, representing 35% of the total population bearing the Smittzer name in the U.S. According to Ancestry.com, the name Smittzer was likely introduced to Pennsylvania from Germany as far back as the 1700s. Other potential origin locations for the name at that time were in England and Wales.
Today, most Smittzers living in the United States hail from Pennsylvania. There are also significant populations of the name in Maryland and Virginia. The concentration of the name in these three states is significantly higher than the nationwide average, with more than 4,500 total individuals.
Though the number of people with the last name Smittzer has remained quite steady since the last census, the geographic concentration of the name continues to shift. Reflecting national trends, the majority of individuals with the last name Smittzer are moving away from the Mid-Atlantic region and into states like Florida, Texas, and California.
Variations of the surname Smittzer
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Smittzer are Smithzer, Smitzer, Smitzer, Smizter, Smidcer, Smitcer, Schmitzer, Schmitz and Schultz.
Smithzer is a variant of the surname Smittzer, which has a German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word ‘smitze’ which means ‘hammer, smith’. Smithzers were originally smiths who worked with the forging of metal tools and were referred to as smiths in the medieval German language.
Smitzer is another variant of Smittzer. It is also of German origin and derived from the word ‘smitze’ but is spelled differently. Its English spelling is ‘smitzer’.
Smitzer is a more recent variation of the Germanic surname Smittzer. It is thought to have originated in the 1400s in north-western Germany. It refers to an occupation, similar to ‘smitzer’, as referred to a smith who worked with the forging and hammering of metal.
Smidcer is another variation of the same name. It is thought to have originated in south-western Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word ‘smid’, which means ‘smith’.
Schmitzer is the next variant of the same Germanic surname, and it is thought to have originated in the late 1400s. It is derived from the Middle High German word ‘schmizze’, which means ‘craftsman’.
Schmitz is a variant of Schmitzer and is of the same origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word ‘schmize’, which also means ‘craftsman’.
The last variant of the same name is Schultz, which is derived from the Middle High German word ‘schulte’, which means ‘attorney’. It is thought to have originated in the mid-1700s and to have been used to refer to lawyers.
Famous people with the name Smittzer
- Jon Smittzer: baseball pitcher who currently plays for the NGD Rams of the Independent Atlantic League.
- Amber Smittzer: American professional tennis player who reached a career high singles ranking of #115 in 2015.
- Stephen Smittzer: American musician, composer, and music producer best known for his work with the band “X Ambassadors”.
- Jeff Smittzer: a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who ended his career in 2009 with the Chicago White Sox.
- Jason Smittzer: an American actor best known for his popular character Joe in the television drama “Criminal Minds”.
- Howard Smittzer: a military officer in the United States Air Force and the president of the Air Force Association in 2021.
- Maxwell Smittzer: an Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast, who was part of the US team in 2016 Olympics in Rio.
- Christine Smittzer: a politician from the state of Vermont who served in the state house and senate from 2000 to 2006.
- Walter Smittzer: an American professional basketball player who played in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Phil Smittzer: the co-founder and CEO of the online retailer Smittzer Technologies which specializes in electronics and educational software.