Surname Altschmied - Meaning and Origin

Altschmied: What does the surname Altschmied mean?

The last name Altschmied is a German name and translates to "old smith." The Altschmied name comes from the occupation of a smith – a metalworker who made and worked with metal objects such as nails, tools, pots and pans, horseshoes, buckets, and more.

In medieval times, the Altschmieds often held an important role in society as the village smiths were often considered one of the most important craftsmen in a community due to the fact that they provided essential tools needed for everyday life. In Germany, smiths were sometimes even be seen as healers due to their ability to craft healing tools, as well as weapons for self-defense.

The surname Altschmied is not very common in the United States, but there are a number of U.S. citizens who can trace their German ancestry to the original Altschmied families that settled in America in the 1800s.

Today, Altschmied is still used mainly as a surname, and is commonly used in Germany along with Austria and Switzerland. Although the popularity of the name has declined in recent years, its association to metalworking is still strong, and it is an apt tribute to the old smiths of bygone days.

Altschmied: Where does the name Altschmied come from?

The last name Altschmied is found today primarily in Germany and other parts of Europe. Census records from Germany indicate that it is most notably found in the northern German regions of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

Altschmied can also be found in the United States, primarily in states such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. In Pennsylvania, for example, the name is quite common in the city of Pittsburgh, likely due to the influx of German immigrants in the 1800s. It can also be found in Mexico, particularly in the states of Baja California and Sonora.

The prevalence of the Altschmied name outside of Germany and Europe is likely due to the wave of German immigration to the United States and Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many immigrants chose to anglicise their names, often shortening them or changing the spelling slightly, resulting in the spread of the Altschmied last name to places such as North America and Mexico.

Variations of the surname Altschmied

The surname Altschmied is a German name that was widely used more than a century ago. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Altschmied are Alt-Schmidt, Altschmidt, Altzschmidt, Altschmid, Altschmiede, Alt-Schmitz, Altschmiedt, Alt-Schenk, Alt-Schaab and Alt-Schubert.

The surname Altschmied is derived from two German words: 'alt' which means 'old' and 'schmied' which means 'smith'. This suggests that the ancestors of those today with the surname Altschmied were blacksmiths. Altschmied is an occupational surname suggesting the family was a smith family at one point in time.

Variations of this occupational surname include some based on the region of origin. For example, Sächsische Schwaben, which is a region in present-day Germany, has variants such as Kral, Resch, and Thum. In the Austro-Hungarian Empire, variants such as Alscher, Alschin, Elschin, and Escher were prominent.

In the United States today, many variants of this surname exist with several families having its own variation of Altschmied such as Alt, Schmied, Schmidt, Schmitt, and Schmitz. Other variations may be found in other countries due to immigration such as Schmedt, Schmedd, and Schmetz in the Netherlands and Smeed, Smita, and Smidt in Belgium and The Netherlands.

In conclusion, the Altschmied surname is an old occupational name with many variants stemming from regional and immigration changes over the years.

Famous people with the name Altschmied

• Gert Altschmied: German-Italian painter, architect, designer and sculptor who was a representative of the school of Neo-expressionism. He worked mainly in Italy and was renowned for his multifaceted creativity.
• Ignaz Altschmied: Nineteenth-century Austrian historian and librarian who wrote a number of publications dealing with various aspects of Austrian history such as music, theatre, education and religion.
• Jakob Altschmied: Austrian doctor who served as the personal court physician and adviser of Rudolph II, the Holy Roman Emperor.
• John Altschmied: American entrepreneur, inventor and philanthropist who founded the ICON School of Technology and Business.
• Kathi Altschmied: Austrian ophthalmologist who made groundbreaking contributions to retinal pigment research.
• Ludwig Altschmied: Austrian painter and engraver who is known for his watercolors of landscapes and seascapes as well as etchings of historical events.
• Michael Altschmied: Austrian art historian, theorist, editor, and teacher. He was a leading modernist in pre-World War II Europe, and a key contributor in the fields of abstract and expressionist art.
• Wolfgang Altschmied: German soldier and Nazi military commander who was involved in the Ardennes offensive and commanded several tank divisions during the Battle of the Bulge.
• Wolfgang Altschmied I: Linz-born court and cathedral sculptor in the latter part of the 17th century. He worked mainly in Bohemia and Bavaria and produced mostly religious sculptures.

Other surnames

Altschmid