History of your Surname
Get access to Smithson family records.Start a free trial

Smithson Family History

Smithson Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire): from Middle English smith ‘smith’ + -son for a son of a smith. Irish (Dublin) and Scottish: in Scotland and Ireland sometimes adopted for Mac Gobhann Mac a'ghobhainn ‘son of the smith’ (see McGowan ).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Simpson, Kitson, Smithe, Smithey, Smith, Simson, Sibson, Smithers

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Smithson family from?

You can see how Smithson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smithson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Smithson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 204 Smithson families living in Ontario. This was about 70% of all the recorded Smithson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Smithson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smithson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Smithson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Smithson. 48% of Smithson men worked as a Farmer and 37% of Smithson women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Smithson were Laborer and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Smithson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    48%
  • Labourer
    22%
  • Farmers Son
    6%
  • Laborer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    37%
  • Housewife
    28%
  • Housework
    19%
  • Teacher
    19%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Smithson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 85,000 census records available for the last name Smithson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Smithson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Smithson

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Smithson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Smithson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Smithson. For the veterans among your Smithson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Smithson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smithson family history

Discover More

What is the average Smithson lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Smithson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Smithson in 1943 was 52, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smithson

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Smithson family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Smithson last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial