Explore the Family Name Smyth
The meaning of Smyth
English: variant of Smith. This form of the surname is particularly common Ireland. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Ronan, Aidan, Brigid, Conor, Eoin, Malachy, Paddy.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Smyth in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Smyth saw a slight shift in its popularity ranking between 2000 and 2010. While the count of people with the surname increased by approximately 2.18% from 9,268 to 9,470, it dropped slightly in rank from 3,522 to 3,741, indicating a decrease in popularity of about 6.22%. Despite this decline in rank, the proportion of individuals named Smyth per 100,000 decreased only slightly from 3.44 to 3.21, reflecting a change of -6.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,522 | #3,741 | -6.22% |
| Count | 9,268 | 9,470 | 2.18% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.44 | 3.21 | -6.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Smyth
The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals changes in the ethnicity associated with the surname Smyth. The most significant change occurred in the Hispanic category, which showed an increase of 41.35%, rising from 2.08% in 2000 to 2.94% in 2010. Similarly, the category for Asian/Pacific Islander grew by 31.91%, moving from 0.47% to 0.62%. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races also increased by 16.95%, making up 1.38% of the Smyths in 2010. However, the White category showed a slight decrease of 1.34%, going down from 93.14% to 91.89%. The categories of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw minor increases of 1.07% and 3.13%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.14% | 91.89% | -1.34% |
| Hispanic | 2.08% | 2.94% | 41.35% |
| Black | 2.81% | 2.84% | 1.07% |
| Two or More Races | 1.18% | 1.38% | 16.95% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.62% | 31.91% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.32% | 0.33% | 3.13% |
Smyth 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 Smyth is British & Irish, which comprises 66.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (15.5%) and Eastern European (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 66.2% |
| French & German | 15.5% |
| Eastern European | 3.8% |
| Other | 14.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Smyth
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 Smyth have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 89.50% |
What Smyth 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 Smyth is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF25 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morris, Lloyd, Morgan, Shaw, Lowe, Evans, Matthews, Slater, James, Jones.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Smyth 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 Smyth 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.
"Smyth" Surname 44.3%
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.
"Smyth" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Smyth" Surname 14.5%
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.
"Smyth" Surname 15.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Smyth?
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 Smyth are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition