Show ContentsSmillie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Smillie

What does the name Smillie mean?

The ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name Smillie is a nickname for a for a person noted for their smile, or happy personality. Smillie is thus, a nickname surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Nicknames form a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, and can refer directly or indirectly to one's personality, physical attributes, mannerisms, or even their habits of dress. The surname Smillie comes from the Old English word, smile, which means grin. Therefore, the surname Smillie would have been adopted by someone with a distinct smile, or grin.

Early Origins of the Smillie family

The surname Smillie was first found in Cumberland, a historic county of North West England, now known as Cumbria.

Early History of the Smillie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Smillie research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1630, 1660, 1670, 1689, 1697, 1740, 1763, 1774, 1787, 1795, 1890 and 1968 are included under the topic Early Smillie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Smillie Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. Smillie has appeared as Smiley, Smellie, Smyly, Smyley, Smilley, Smilie and many more.

Early Notables of the Smillie family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • James D. Smillie, American artist

Migration of the Smillie family to Ireland

Some of the Smillie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 163 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Smillie migration to the United States +

The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Smillie or a variant listed above include:

Smillie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Smillie, who arrived in America in 1829 1

Smillie migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Smillie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Matthew Smillie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indus" in 1839 2
  • Elizabeth Corse Smillie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indus" in 1839 2
  • William Smillie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indus" in 1839 2
  • James Smillie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1849 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Smillie (post 1700) +

  • James David Smillie (1833-1909), American artist
  • John Smillie (b. 1954), retired Scottish-American soccer player
  • George Henry Smillie (1840-1921), American painter
  • Joseph V. Smillie, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1972 4
  • Carol Patricia Smillie (b. 1961), Scottish television personality, model and actress
  • Jennie Smillie (1878-1981), born Jennie Smillie Robertson, the first Canadian female surgeon and also performed the country's first major gynecological surgery, founding member of Women's College Hospital in Toronto
  • Andrew Thomas "Andy" Smillie (b. 1941), English former professional association football player
  • Neil Smillie (b. 1958), English former professional football player and manager
  • Grant Smillie (b. 1977), Australian DJ
  • Robert Smillie (1857-1940), Irish-born from Scottish descent trade unionist and Labour Party politician
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. John Smillie (d. 1912), aged 38, English Saloon Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 5


The Smillie Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Industria virtus et fortitudo
Motto Translation: Industry, valor, and fortitude.


  1. 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)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) INDUS 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Indus.htm
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NAVARINO 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Navarino.htm
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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