Save Type Surname (from occupation) Usage English Pronounced Pron. SMITH [key·IPA] Meaning & History Means "metalworker, blacksmith" from Old English smiþ, related to smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world. A famous bearer was the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790). DetailsRelated Names VariantSmytheOther Languages & CulturesSmeets, Smets, Smit, Smits(Dutch) De Smet(Flemish) Schmid, Schmidt, Schmitt, Schmitz(German) Given Name DescendantSmith(English) Categories occupations, word names Entry updated February 12, 2018 ·