NameCensus.

UK surname

Smithyman

A surname potentially derived from a variation of "smith" combined with a diminutive patronymic suffix.

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Smithyman surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, down from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, Kingswinford and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Shropshire and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smithyman is 155 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.1%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

2000

155 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smithyman had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 123 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Smithyman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smithyman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smithyman 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 50 #27,636
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 91 #25,239
1901 historical 123 #20,248
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 138 #22,227
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 153 #21,551
2000 modern 155 #21,341
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 134 #23,590
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Smithymans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Peter, Kingswinford, St Werburgh, Oldswinford and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Shropshire and Barnsley. 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 St Peter Derbyshire
2 Kingswinford Worcestershire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 018 Rotherham
2 Shropshire 034 Shropshire
3 Barnsley 020 Barnsley
4 Barnsley 025 Barnsley
5 Rotherham 020 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smithyman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smithyman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Smithyman, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Smithyman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Smithyman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Smithyman 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.

Read profile summary

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

Smithyman is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Smithyman falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Smithyman 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 Smithyman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Smithyman

The surname SMITHYMAN is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period, specifically to the occupation of a blacksmith or metalworker. The name is derived from the Old English words "smið" meaning "smith" and "mann" meaning "man," essentially translating to "smith man" or "blacksmith."

The earliest known recorded instances of the SMITHYMAN surname can be found in parish records and tax rolls from various counties in England, such as Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Some variations in spelling include Smytheman, Smythemanm, and Smithmane, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records during that era.

While the SMITHYMAN surname does not appear in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, it is likely that the name emerged in the centuries following the Norman Conquest, as the demand for skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths increased with the growth of towns and villages across England.

One notable historical figure bearing the SMITHYMAN surname was John Smithyman, a prominent merchant and alderman who lived in the city of York during the late 16th century. He was actively involved in the city's governance and served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1584.

Another well-known individual with this surname was William Smithyman (1675-1743), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Nottinghamshire. He is credited with creating several innovative clock designs and mechanisms, some of which are still preserved in museums today.

In the 18th century, Robert Smithyman (1712-1784) was a respected Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to theological discourse during his lifetime.

The SMITHYMAN surname also has connections to the village of Smithyman's Green, located in the county of Hertfordshire. This place name likely derived from a family or individual bearing the SMITHYMAN surname who resided in or owned land in the area during the medieval or early modern period.

In the 19th century, Henry Smithyman (1819-1893) was a prominent industrialist and entrepreneur from Yorkshire. He founded the Smithyman Engineering Company, which played a significant role in the development of steam engines and machinery during the Industrial Revolution.

While the SMITHYMAN surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history rooted in the skilled trade of blacksmithing, with many individuals bearing this name leaving their mark across various professions and regions throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Smithyman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smithyman 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. Staffordshire leads with 35 Smithymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.85x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 35 10.85x
Worcestershire 13 10.41x
Derbyshire 11 7.35x
Warwickshire 11 4.56x
Yorkshire 9 0.95x
Gloucestershire 7 3.73x
Durham 4 1.41x
Lanarkshire 4 1.29x
Middlesex 2 0.21x
Cheshire 1 0.47x
Flintshire 1 3.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 13 Smithymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 110.92x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 13 110.92x
Linthorpe 9 159.29x
Wombourn 8 1333.33x
Aston 7 10.55x
Newnham 7 1458.33x
Alfreton 5 109.89x
Cheslyn Hay 5 847.46x
Oldbury 5 81.43x
Wollaston 5 632.91x
Barony 4 5.11x
Birmingham 4 4.98x
Cheadle 4 258.06x
Litchurch 4 66.45x
Darlington 3 27.32x
Great Wyrley 3 857.14x
Dudley 2 13.18x
Fairfield 2 200.00x
St Marylebone London 2 3.92x
Castle Northwich 1 142.86x
Pattingham 1 714.29x
Rhuddlan 1 44.25x
Sunderland 1 19.92x
Warley Salop 1 555.56x
Wolverhampton 1 4.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 7
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Catherine 1
Clare 1
Elgie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabech 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Juliet 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Phoebe 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
Thomas 7
John 5
Joseph 4
James 3
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Basil 1
Bert 1
Edanor 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Param 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Smithyman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smithyman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Smithyman surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smithyman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Smithyman a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Smithyman surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from a variation of "smith" combined with a diminutive patronymic suffix.

What does the Smithyman map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Smithyman 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.