The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-25
THE HANDIEsT OF NAMES.
John Smith" "A FavOrite in the Uni
ted States and Europe.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
An examination of the directories of all
large cities in America and in Europe tells
us that the Smiths are numerous. We
find this family, which is on a steady
march of increase, occupying more space
in the city directories than any other fam
lily. In the New York city directory there
are fifty-three columns devoted to this
family. Added to this number are thirty
columns of Smiths in Brooklyn, with thir-
ty-fve columns of Smiths in Baltimore.
and as many more in Washington, and in
all other large American cities the Smiths
lead in point of numerousness. Hence the
question, Whence came Smith?
The commences of the name Smith is
accounted for by the fact that anciently
the term "a smith was not confined to
ironworkers but was applied to any per-
son engaged in smithing. In entering on
the subject of this patronymic, any writer
must feel overpowered by the magnitude
of it, as it is closely connected with the
personal identity of many thousands en-
joying as it does the eminence of being the
commonest of all English, French and
German surnames, and associated as it
has been with anecdotes, statistics and
archaeology.
In France MT smith HBuTeS as lie
Fevre; in Germany, as Schmidt or Schmitt,
in Holland, as Smit in Italy. Fabbroni
and Fabromess; in Scotland, the Gowans;
in Wales, Goff and Cowan. In Cornwall
Smith became Angowe. The Cets,
whether Highland or Hibernian, took i'll
to trade names, preferring personal, local
or partronymical designations. Still we
have Mcintyre, son of Smith; in Walla-
CHA, Ferracino, Ferrars, FerretH, Fer
rum, Fari, all iron-workers. A family
bearing the name Fairie has been located
in Rutherghen, near Glasgow, Scotland,
for over 600 years, as limited in this rhyme:
Nae man can tell nae man has been
When the Fairies haena in Ruglen been.
All are member of the mighty race of
Smiths and have dealt largely in iron
and smithwork in general. The word
smith is from the Anglo-Saxon "smitan-
TO smite" hence the motto of a noble
Smith family in England is "Smite on,
duoth smith"-that is, for any one who
strikes as with a hammer or a black
smith. Thus the poet becomes a verse
smith, though he had ony to cudgel his
brains. Besides Smith pure and simple.
there are Smithsons, to which the Gaelic
MACEDONIAN (son of SMITH corresponds,
as we'll as Smithman, which in French is
Lefevrehomme. and Grossmith who, IL
they have not corrupted their spelling,
are a good set-on against the Fabrucci
or little Smith of Italian celebrity.
The first Smith landed in America in
1881, and that they have become numer-
Gus IN this country and in England will
be seen in the register general OF Eng
land, when, from 1888 to 1854 2S6.037 of
that name were recorded as having been
born, having married or having died.
The Jones's, VINO have been fast tread
ing on Mr. Smiths heels, numbered in
ike circumstances 2S2, 900. This will show
that the alarmist has good reasons to
raise the cry Of Smiths in danger" In
addition to Smith proper there are many
families passing under other surAames
who are members Of this mighty Amy
Smithlett Is "A neat diminutive, while
smythy and Smythiers have decidedly
the smell OF a blacksmith shop about
them. The common Of the descriptive
Smiths In America are the Schmidt
schmidts. Goldsmith, Goldschmdt (or
Orfevre, in FRENCH, Silversmith, Copper
smith. Locksmith, Whitesmith. Black
smith, Arrowsmlth, Spearsmith. Knyfe-
smith, Nasmyth Cor Nailsmith), Hyde
smith Cor Sold,ersmith). Messersmith
German for Knifesmith). Brownsmth Is
a brown bill maker. corresponding to the
family name Of "Brownbili" which was
Saxon foot soldier meaning Brisbane.
From Smith pure and simple come