NameCensus.

UK surname

Smithe

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Smithe surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, down from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, Monmouth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Liverpool and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smithe is 134 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.8%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1891

134 bearers

Map years

3

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smithe had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 134 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Smithe surname distribution map

The map shows where the Smithe surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Smithe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smithe over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 67 #21,440
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 37 #30,009
1911 historical 80 #24,821
1997 modern 25 #35,261
1998 modern 25 #35,365
1999 modern 21 #35,810
2000 modern 15 #36,425
2001 modern 16 #36,160
2002 modern 14 #36,484
2003 modern 6 #37,586
2004 modern 8 #37,346
2005 modern 17 #36,407
2006 modern 22 #36,105
2007 modern 22 #36,213
2008 modern 25 #36,072
2009 modern 22 #36,394
2010 modern 45 #35,130
2011 modern 51 #34,751
2012 modern 73 #33,431
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Smithes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, Monmouth, London parishes and Dover St James, Dover St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Liverpool, Wirral, Plymouth and South Cambridgeshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Moulton Lincolnshire
2 Monmouth Monmouthshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 018 Hackney
2 Liverpool 057 Liverpool
3 Wirral 029 Wirral
4 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
5 South Cambridgeshire 011 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smithe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Smithe surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smithe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Smithe, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Smithe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Smithe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Smithe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Smithe is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Smithe falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Smithe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Smithe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Smithe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smithe surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 8 Smithes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.41x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 1.41x
Kent 7 3.63x
Hampshire 5 4.31x
Monmouthshire 5 12.23x
Essex 4 3.58x
Herefordshire 4 17.25x
Suffolk 4 5.81x
Yorkshire 4 0.71x
Gloucestershire 2 1.80x
Lancashire 2 0.30x
Sussex 2 2.10x
Warwickshire 2 1.40x
Anglesey 1 9.98x
Cambridgeshire 1 2.79x
Hertfordshire 1 2.57x
Lanarkshire 1 0.55x
Lincolnshire 1 1.11x
Northumberland 1 1.19x
Oxfordshire 1 2.86x
Shropshire 1 2.05x
Worcestershire 1 1.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Faversham in Kent leads with 6 Smithes recorded in 1881 and an index of 326.09x.

Place Total Index
Faversham 6 326.09x
Monmouth 5 462.96x
Brandeston 4 5000.00x
Leyton Low 4 176.21x
Southampton St Mary 4 54.87x
Yarpole 4 3333.33x
Churchdown 2 909.09x
Holy Trinity 2 14.84x
Manchester 2 6.63x
Westminster St 2 95.69x
Barton 1 1666.67x
Birmingham 1 2.10x
Brede 1 500.00x
Coningsby 1 384.62x
Edgbaston 1 22.62x
Hammersmith London 1 7.18x
Hoyland Nether 1 72.99x
Hurstpierpoint 1 188.68x
Islington London 1 1.82x
Kings Norton 1 15.11x
Llanddona 1 1111.11x
Northfleet 1 58.82x
Old Monkland 1 13.77x
Oxford St Giles 1 59.88x
Portsea 1 4.40x
Sculcoates 1 11.25x
St Andrew Holborn 1 52.08x
St Luke London 1 11.03x
St Marylebone London 1 3.31x
Stevenage 1 166.67x
Twickenham 1 41.15x
Wellington 1 36.36x
Westgate 1 19.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Smithe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Smithe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 5
James 3
David 2
George 2
Allen 1
Bertie 1
Charles 1
Charlie 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
P. 1
Regnold 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
Victor 1
William 1

FAQ

Smithe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smithe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Smithe surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smithe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Smithe a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Smithe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Smithe bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.