Surname Schmettke - Meaning and Origin

Schmettke: What does the surname Schmettke mean?

The last name Schmettke is an old German surname that has originated from northern Germany. The name itself is derived from the word “schmette” which means forger, and likely refers to an origin of the name as a nickname for a smith or blacksmith. The suffix “ke” is known to be a patronymic suffix, indicating the name is descended from a masculine ancestor.

The name Schmettke can be found in many records throughout Germany going back as far as the 1600s. There are records of church baptisms, marriage records, and even early records of the name in the municipal records. This indicates a long standing presence of the Schmettke family in German-speaking regions for several centuries.

During this time, the Schmettke surname remained fairly localized in the states of Saxony, Prussia, Brandenburg, Westphalia, and Bavaria. The spelling of the surname varied slightly depending on which region the family originated from, but all of the records refer to the same surname.

Today, the Schmettke surname is still found in many areas throughout Europe, but mostly in Germany. It is one of the many old German surnames that, although is no longer as common, still remains present in the population.

Schmettke: Where does the name Schmettke come from?

The last name Schmettke is common throughout many German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as the Netherlands and Denmark. It is also found in parts of the United States such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and California, as well as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

In Germany, Schmettke is most common in the northern and eastern regions of the country, including in Berlin, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In Austria, it can most often be found in the western states of Vorarlberg and Tyrol. In Switzerland, Schmettke is common in the cantons of St. Gallen and Zurich.

In the United States, the last name Schmettke can be found in significant numbers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and California. Canadian provinces with a high concentration of Schmettkes include Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. The highest concentration of Schmettkes in Australia can be found in New South Wales and Victoria. In New Zealand, the last name is more common in the North Island regions of Auckland and Waikato. South Africa's Northern Cape has the highest concentration of Schmettkes in the country.

Overall, the last name Schmettke is a fairly widespread name, and can be found in countries all around the world.

Variations of the surname Schmettke

The surname Schmettke is a German surname most likely derived from the Old German given name Schmedeke, which is derived from Schmede, meaning "shield" and ke, a diminutive suffix.

Variations of the surname Schmettke include Schmettke, Schmedke, Schmedtke, Schmedke, Schmiedke, Schmedle, Schmedlke, Schmedt, Schmedth, Schmittke, Schmiedtke, Schmidke, Schmidle, Smitte, Smidt, Schmidlke, Schmit and Smidlke.

The surnames Schmiedele, Schmeidele, Schmeidel, Schmeidl, Smidt, Schmittel, Smitte and Smidde are also of the same origin.

In some cases, the surname Schmettke has also been anglicized to Smith or Smidt. Other variants of the surname have been anglicized to Metcalf, Small, Schmiedt, Smithers, Smithson, Schmid, Metzger, Metz and Schmieder.

Schmettke also has many spelling variations in other languages including Schmettke, Schmettlke, Schmittlke, Schomeltke, Schmedke, Schmedelke, Schmedlke, Schmettelke, Schmiedelke, Schmiedlke, Schmidtlke, Schmidlke, Smitte and Smidlke.

In some cases, the Swiss variant of Schmettke is spelled Schmöttke or Schmechtke. Schmettke is also seen as a variant of the Polish surname Smietka.

Famous people with the name Schmettke

• Richard Schmettke, German Violinist
• Frieda Schmettke, German Painter
• Horst Schmettke, German Wrter
• Alfred Schmettke, German Translator
• Dieter Schmettke, German Documentary Filmaker
• Ansel Schmettke, American Actor
• Curt Schmettke, American Baseball Player
• Friedrich Schmettke, German Professor
• Rolf Schmettke, German Flute Player
• Christine Schmettke, American Businessperson
• Wolfgang Schmettke, German Composer
• Dietrich Schmettke, German Cinematographer
• Ursula Schmettke, German Engineer
• Hans Schmettke, German Soccer Player
• Cornelia Schmettke, German Politician
• Luitgard Schmettke, German Art Historian
• Josef Schmettke, German Entomologist
• Johannes Schmettke, German Philologist
• Ferdinand Schmettke, German Architect
• Peter Schmettke, German Cartoonist

Other surnames

SchmettSchmetthans