SCHMIDT Surname Meaning and Family History

The surname Schmidt is an occupational surname for "blacksmith" or "metalworker," from the German word schmied or the Danish smed. Schmidt is the German equivalent of the English surname SMITH. SCHMITZ is another German variant of this surname.

SCHMIDT is the 2nd most common German surname and the 31st most common Danish surname.

Surname Origin: German, Danish

Alternate Surname Spellings:  SCHMID, SCHMITT, SCHMITZ

Famous People with the Surname SCHMIDT:

• Kendall Schmidt - American actor and singer
• Otto Schmidt - Soviet geophysicist and polar explorer
• Helmut Schmidt - Chancellor of West Germany from 1974–1982

Where is the SCHMIDT Surname Most Common?

Despite its German origins, the SCHMIDT surname today is most prevalent in the United States, according to surname distribution from Forebears. It is more common based on population percentage, however, in countries such as Austria (where it ranks 22nd in the nation), Denmark (31st), Greenland (41st), Switzerland (43rd) and Liechtenstein (48th).

According to WorldNames PublicProfiler, Schmidt is found most frequently in Germany. The surname is common throughout the country, but used by the greatest number of individuals in Thüringen and Sachsen-Anhalt. Schmidt is also extremely common in Sønderjylland (Southern Jutland), Denmark.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname SCHMIDT:

Common German Surnames & Their Meanings
Uncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to German surnames meanings and origins.

Schmidt Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schmidt family crest or coat of arms for the Schmidt surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

Smith DNA Project
Over 2400 individuals with the Smith surname—including variations such as Schmidt, Smythe, Smidt and Smitz—have joined this DNA project to use DNA in combination with genealogy research to sort out over 220 distinct groups of Smith descendants.

Schmidt Family Genealogy Forum
Search this popular genealogy forum for the Schmidt surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Schmidt query.

FamilySearch - SCHMIDT Genealogy
Explore over 3.6 million results from digitized historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Schmidt surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

SCHMIDT Surname & Family Mailing Lists
RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Schmidt surname.

DistantCousin.com - SCHMIDT Genealogy & Family History
Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schmidt.

GeneaNet - Schmidt Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schmidt surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.

The Schmidt Genealogy and Family Tree Page
Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Schmidt surname from the website of Genealogy Today.
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References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

>> Back to Glossary of Surname Meanings & Origins