Surname Schmidchen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Schmidchen: What does the surname Schmidchen mean?
The last name Schmidchen is derived from the German word 'Schmid,' which translates to English as 'Smith.' Historically, the name referred to a profession, as Schmidchen surname holders were usually involved in metalworking or blacksmithing. In contrast to the English surname Smith, Schmidchen was primarily used in German-speaking communities. The suffix -chen is typically associated with diminutives, thus making Schmidchen also mean 'little Smith.' In Germany, the term has often been used to describe someone who was adept at metalcraft.
However, the name Schmidchen can also be used as a surname—especially for those of German heritage. This type of last name was usually used in a more general sense as a term of endearment for someone who works on metals, and is often seen in regions such as Bavaria, Austria, and Switzerland. Therefore, the primary meaning of the surname Schmidchen is a comparison to the English Smith, with the added implication of a small or particularly skilled metalworker.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmidchen: Where does the name Schmidchen come from?
The last name Schmidchen is commonly found today in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Austria. It is believed to have originated from the Rhineland region of Germany and has historically been found in that part of the country. The root of the name is a Bavarian word meaning "little master", which was traditionally used as a title for artisans and craftsmen.
Schmidchen is a relatively uncommon name worldwide, with fewer than 1,400 people with that surname living in Germany. The name is also present in Luxembourg, where there are approximately 250 people carrying the name, and Austria, with fewer than 200 people. In Belgium, there are under 50 people with the Schmidchen surname.
Schmidchen tends to be more of a rural name, usually associated with small villages and towns in the Middle Rhine Valley and in the area around the River Moselle. The name also appears in certain areas of South Tyrol, where it is closely related to the German-speaking population.
In U.S., the number of people with the Schmidchen name is much smaller, and it is typically found only among immigrants who recently moved from Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, or Belgium.
Variations of the surname Schmidchen
The surname Schmidchen is an old Germanic surname with cognate spellings in several languages. In English, the surname Schmidchen may be spelled Schmidt, Smith, Schmied, Schmieder, and Schmaudt. In German, variants of the surname Schmidchen include Schmiedchen, Schmieden, Schmeder, Schmetz, Schmittle, and Schmidinger. The Swedish version of the surname is Schmidt, while in Dutch, it is often spelled as Schmijdt, Schmiedt, Smiet, or Smits.
In Poland, the surname Schmidchen or Smętek is found. Czech forms of the name include Schmid, Smetana, and Smíšek. Hungarian variants of the name are Smidt, and Szmidt. In Danish, the surname Schmidchen is sometimes spelled Schmidt, Smidt, Smidte, or Smettson. Variant spellings of the name Schmidchen can also be found in Russia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Furthermore, Schmidchen is a patronymic surname which changed to other surnames. For example, the Low German forms of the name include Smidt, Smiet, Smiele, and Smidje. Common variations of Schmidchen in Upper German dialects are Schmitt, Schmied, Schmutz, Schmuhl, and Schmutzler.
In Latin, some variants of the surname Schmidchen are Fabri, Fabricius, Faber, Fabritz, and Fabrizzio. Other variants, sometimes found as diminutives of the surname, include McSmith, McPherson, and Davison.
There are also surname variants of Schmidchen, such as Gottlieb, Loll, Blankenship, and Burgert, among others. These surnames can be classified as variants of Schmidchen having been derived from an original ancestor.
Famous people with the name Schmidchen
- Philip Schmidchen: Philip Schmidchen is a German actor and bodybuilder who is best known for his portrayal of Peter Mühlendorf in Der Alte and its spin-off series Der Alte und das Mädchen.
- Erik Schmidchen: Erik Schmidchen is a German chemist and professor at the University of Mönchengladbach. He is a renowned researcher in the fields of photoinduced electron transfer and molecular biology.
- Wilma Schmidchen: Wilma Schmidchen is a German artist and a leading figure of the post-World War II German avant-garde. She was a key figure of the Fluxus movement, and her artwork has been featured internationally since the 1950s.
- Linda Schmidchen: Linda Schmidchen is a German businessman and entrepreneur. She is the founder of a successful online fashion boutique, and is renowned for her focus on social corporate responsibility and sustainability.
- Richard Schmidchen: Richard Schmidchen was a German photographer best known for his work documenting the Bochum steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s. His photographs were recently featured at the Bochum Museum.
- Manfred Schmidchen: Manfred Schmidchen is a former German football player who played for Arminia Bielefeld during the early 1970s. He is now a football coach and manager.
- Hermann Schmidchen: Hermann Schmidchen was a German operatic baritone and composer who was one of the leading singers of the Hamburg State Opera from the 1920s to the 1940s. He was particularly famous for his performances of Wagner works.
- Albert Schmidchen: Albert Schmidchen was a German filmmaker whose silent films of the 1920s and 1930s are considered classics of the Weimar era. His films focused on rural Germany and its people.
- Mathias Schmidchen: Mathias Schmidchen is a German entomologist and researcher at the University of Leipzig. He is an expert on beetles, and his work is renowned for its contributions to the field of entomology.