2000
#36,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 578
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Smithee
A surname used in fictional credits to disclaim authorship on a film.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 737 Americans carry the last name Smithee. That puts it at #37,267 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 465,067 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Smithee surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
737
1 in 465,067
Census rank
#37,267
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
643
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 643 bearers of the surname Smithee in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 37267th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Smithee, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Smithee
The surname Smithee is an occupational name that originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "smitan," meaning "to strike" or "to forge," and refers to a blacksmith or metalworker.
Smithee was a common occupational surname in medieval England, particularly in areas with a strong metalworking tradition, such as Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and the Midlands. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Smythee" and "Smythie."
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Smithee was often associated with skilled craftsmen who worked with metal, particularly in the production of weapons, armor, and tools. Some historical references to individuals with the name Smithee can be found in medieval guild records and tax rolls.
One notable bearer of the name Smithee was John Smithee, a prominent blacksmith from York who lived in the late 14th century. He was known for his exceptional skill in forging swords and armor, and his work was highly sought after by knights and noblemen.
Another important figure was William Smithee, a master metalworker from Nottingham who lived in the early 15th century. He is recorded as having worked on the construction of the famous Nottingham Castle and was recognized for his expertise in creating intricate metalwork for architectural projects.
In the 16th century, the surname Smithee began to spread beyond its traditional strongholds in northern and central England. Thomas Smithee (1525-1592) was a renowned blacksmith from London who gained recognition for his innovative techniques in metalworking and his contributions to the development of the city's thriving metalworking industry.
As the surname Smithee gained prominence, it was also adopted by families with no direct connection to the metalworking trade. This was particularly true in rural areas, where the name may have been adopted as a descriptive nickname or as a means of distinguishing between different families or individuals.
Other notable bearers of the surname Smithee include Margaret Smithee (1620-1698), a prominent landowner and philanthropist in Gloucestershire, and Richard Smithee (1745-1822), a successful merchant and shipowner from Bristol who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Smithee
Among Census respondents with the surname Smithee, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Smithee bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Smithee surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.5% · 537
- Two or more races7.0% · 45
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 36
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 10
- Black or African American1.2% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Smithee
Smithee appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#41,657
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 522
-56 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 5,126 places
2020
#37,267
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 643
+121 bearers (+23.2%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Up 4,390 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,531 | 578 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #41,657 | 522 | 0.18 | -56 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 5,126 places |
| 2020 | #37,267 | 643 | 0.22 | +121 bearers (+23.2%) | Up 4,390 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Smithee surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #41,657 | #37,267 | 10.5% |
| Count | 522 | 643 | 23.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.18 | 0.22 | 19.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Smithee bearers went from 522 to 643 (+23.2% change). The surname moved up 4,390 positions in the national ranking, going from #41,657 to #37,267.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Smithee
FAQ
Smithee surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Smithee?
Name Census estimates that about 737 living Americans carry the surname Smithee. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 465,067 residents.
How common is Smithee?
Smithee ranks #37,267 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 643 people with the surname Smithee. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (737), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Smithee.
Has Smithee become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Smithee went from 522 recorded bearers to 643. That is an increase of 121 (+23.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #41,657 to #37,267.
What does the Census say about the background of Smithee?
Among Census respondents with the surname Smithee, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (5.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Smithee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.5% (537 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Smithee appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.5%), Two or More Races (7.0%), Hispanic (5.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Smithee (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Smithee mean?
A surname used in fictional credits to disclaim authorship on a film. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Smithee (0.22 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Smithee?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Smithee on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.