| ![Show Contents]() Smithey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of SmitheyWhat does the name Smithey mean? The name Smithey began among the ancestors of the people of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. It was a name for a smithy. Although Smithey appears to be an occupational name for a blacksmith, it has been suggested that when surnames came into use in Scotland, several different families simply 'took on' the name whether they had been blacksmiths or not. Thus, Smithey is a classic example of a polygenetic surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently. Early Origins of the Smithey familyThe surname Smithey was first found in northern England and Scotland, where they held a family seat from ancient times. In trying to establish a single source for this amazing, monumentally prolific surname Smith, it is asserted that they descended from Neil Cromb, a Chieftain who flourished in 1150, third son of Murdoch, Chief of the Clan Chattan, a confederation of twenty-six Clans of which Smith was a member Clan. Faber and Ferro were Latin equivalents of the name Smith which were used in medieval documents. William faber de Karel witnessed legal proceedings c. 1250. William the Smith served as a juror during an inquest held at Traquair in 1274. In Aberdeen there lived an Alan Smyth in 1398. Finally, a Patrick Smyth of Scotland is noted as being confined in the Tower of London in 1401. Early History of the Smithey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Smithey research. Another 240 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1620, 1660, 1665, 1668, 1699, 1720, 1853 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Smithey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Smithey Spelling VariationsAlthough Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Smithey has been written Smith, Smyth, Smythe and others. Early Notables of the Smithey familyAnother 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Smithey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Smithey RankingIn the United States, the name Smithey is the 11,153rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 Migration of the Smithey family to IrelandSome of the Smithey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Smithey migration to the United States | + |
Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Smithey:
Smithey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Francis Smithey, who arrived in New Jersey in 1675 2
Smithey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Joshua Smithey, who arrived in Virginia in 1746 2
Smithey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- M Smithey, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
- William Smithey, aged 25, who arrived in America, in 1894
Smithey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Estelle Smithey, who arrived in America, in 1905
- Lillian Smithey, aged 24, who arrived in America, in 1907
- Thomas B. Smithey, who arrived in America, in 1918
| Contemporary Notables of the name Smithey (post 1700) | + |
- C. A. Smithey, American politician, Delegate to Montana convention to ratify 21st amendment, 1933 3
- Greg Smithey, American fitness and aerobics instructor, known for creating The Original Buns of Steel workout in the 1980s
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: Semper Fidelis
Motto Translation: Always faithful.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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