Surname Schmilewski - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Schmilewski: What does the surname Schmilewski mean?
The last name Schmilewski is of German origin and is derived from the old German name Schmiel, which was a pet form of the personal name Schmendel, meaning “little Mendel”. Mendel was a common male given name in the Middle Ages and was used to mean “strong man” or “hero”. It was an occupational name that would have been given to someone who worked as a smith or metal worker. Initially, the surname Schmilewski likely referred to someone who was the son of a Schmiel, but over time it also began to be used as a patronymic surname.
Patronymic surnames are those that are based on the father’s given name and often end in -owicz or -ewicz in Polish. Schmilewski falls into this category and is derived from the root name Schmiel. It is a common Polish variant of Schmiel, and it would have been adopted at some point between the 12th and 16th centuries when surnames began to become popular among the Polish people.
Today, Schmilewski is a common surname in Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic. It is also found in America, with the earliest records of the Schmilewski name dating to the 18th century coming from immigrants who had left Europe for the United States. In America, variance in the spelling and pronunciation of the name have led to many different versions, such as Smileywski, Schmieleski, and Schmeeleski.
Overall, Schmilewski is a distinct German-Polish surname which gained popularity centuries ago, likely due to it’s association with iron and steel workers. It is now a common surname in many countries, including the United States, and is a reminder of the rich cultural history of its bearer.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmilewski: Where does the name Schmilewski come from?
The last name Schmilewski is most commonly found in Germany today. The distribution of the name is fairly dispersed throughout the country, primarily in the former East Germany. According to official records, it is the 5,888th most common name in German-speaking countries.
The majority of Schmilewskis today are likely descendants of members of the Schmilewski family, who have a rich and storied history in various parts of Germany. The Schmilewskis are believed to have originally been from the region of Silesia, near present-day Poland. From here, they moved up through central Germany in the late 1600s, being granted titles of nobility from the Prussian court in the 1700s.
Today, the Schmilewskis are scattered throughout Germany as well as into the surrounding countries of Poland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Many Schmilewskis have also emigrated to the United States over the past century, particularly to cities such as Chicago and New York City. As such, the name is now common throughout the United States and can be found in records from the early 1900s.
All in all, the Schmilewski name has a long history and is still common in Germany today, as well as in various other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Schmilewski
Schmilewski is a Polish patronymic surname derived from the root word “schmiel”, meaning “smiling”. It is related to the Polish given name Szymil and is closely linked to Schmiel, Shmilewski, Szmil, Szmilewski, and Szmyl.
The spelling of the surname Schmilewski can vary based on the place where it comes from. For example, the German spelling of the surname is Schmölewski, while it may be Schmielowksi or Szmilewska in cases of Polish origin.
The surname is traditionally spelled with the "S" sound, and is often seen as Smiley, Shmile, Schmiel, and Szmyl. It can also be sounded as “Smiley”, “Schmiel”, or “Shmile” when it is used by English speakers.
Variant spellings of the surname Schmilewski include: Smiley, Shmile, Szmilewska, Szmil, Szmyl, Schmielowska, Schmielowksi, Schmulewski, Schmulewicz, Schmulevitz, Schmolnick, and Schmoll.
Surnames of similar origin associated with Schmilewski include: Szmuc, Szminka, Szmuc, Szmit, Smolak, Smolewski, Smal, Smolarz, Menschl, Mauczka, Mancewicz, Malinowski, Lewandowicz, Krosin, Krewczyk, Kosmowski, Koska, Kornacki, Grochowiak, Glowacki, Goldbach, and Gemahl.
Depending on the region and time period, some of the spelling variations of the surname Schmilewski may have been Anglicized further into such forms as Smiles, Smileski, Schmill, Smiley, and Schmiley. There are also some examples of the surname having been adopted into names such as Schmeel, Schmuel, Schmelewski, Schmil, Schmilowski, and Schmull.
Famous people with the name Schmilewski
- Hans Schmilewski: German football manager
- Alex Schmilewski: British actor
- Louise Schmilewski: Canadian writer
- Mike Schmilewski: American stuntman
- Jason Schmilewski: Canadian football player
- Martha Schmilewski: Argentine actress
- Paul Schmilewski: American film director
- Agatha Schmilewski: British dancer
- Rob Schmilewski: Australian producer
- Frank Schmilewski: German footballer