Explore the Family Name Schmidt
The meaning of Schmidt
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name from Middle High German smit, German Schmied ‘blacksmith’. This surname is also established in many other parts of Europe, notably in Denmark, France (mainly Alsace and Lorraine, also Nord), the Netherlands, Hungary, and Poland. It is also found in Slovakia, Czechia, Croatia, and Slovenia, where it is more common in Slavicized forms (see below). In part, Schmidt is a Gottscheerish (i.e. Gottschee German) surname, originating from the Kočevsko region in Lower Carniola, Slovenia (see Kocevar). 2. Germanized form of Czech Šmíd and Šmít, Slovenian, Croatian, and Slovak Šmid or Šmit, surnames of German origin (see above and Smid 2 and Smit 3). Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Otto, Hans, Erwin, Gerhard, Klaus, Helmut, Fritz, Manfred, Wolfgang, Ewald, Gunter.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Schmidt in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Schmidt" has slightly declined between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Schmidt was the 171st most popular name, but in 2010 it slipped to the 185th spot, reflecting a decrease of 8.19%. However, the absolute number of people with the last name Schmidt increased by 1.01% during the same period, from 145,565 to 147,034. The proportion of people named Schmidt per 100,000 people also decreased by 7.62%, from 53.96 in 2000 to 49.85 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #171 | #185 | -8.19% |
| Count | 145,565 | 147,034 | 1.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 53.96 | 49.85 | -7.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Schmidt
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Schmidt has also shown some shifts according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. While the majority of people with this surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, there was a slight decrease of 1.38% over this period. The percentage of Schmidts identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 49.04%, although they still represent only a small fraction of all Schmidts. Similarly, the proportions of Schmidts identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black have increased by 32.61% and 32.14% respectively, yet these groups also remain a minor part of the total population with this surname. Those identifying as two or more races increased by 36.78%, while those who identify as American Indian and Alaskan Native showed a modest increase of 3.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.48% | 95.15% | -1.38% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.34% | 49.04% |
| Two or More Races | 0.87% | 1.19% | 36.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.61% | 32.61% |
| Black | 0.28% | 0.37% | 32.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.33% | 0.34% | 3.03% |
Schmidt ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Schmidt is French & German, which comprises 40.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (30.5%) and Eastern European (9.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 40.4% |
| British & Irish | 30.5% |
| Eastern European | 9.4% |
| Other | 19.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Schmidt
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Schmidt have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 70.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 70.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 70.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 69.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 69.70% |
What Schmidt haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Schmidt is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hoffman, Meyer, Mueller, Wagner, Schneider, Becker, Miller, Fischer, Weber, Wolf.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Schmidt surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Schmidt have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Schmidt" Surname 40.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Schmidt" Surname 26.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Schmidt" Surname 20.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Schmidt" Surname 17.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Schmidt?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Schmidt are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition