Surname Smeltzer - Meaning and Origin

Smeltzer: What does the surname Smeltzer mean?

Smeltzer is a surname of German origin. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "smelzen," which means 'to smelt.' Therefore, it is an occupational surname that was originally used for individuals involved in the smelting industry. This industry dealt with the extraction of metals from their ores. It is the professional title for a smelter, who melts and recycles metals. So, if someone has the surname Smeltzer, it hints towards their ancestors' occupational history. However, like many surnames, while it can give a clue for ancestral work, it does not necessarily mean that any present Smeltzer is in the same line of work.

Smeltzer: Where does the name Smeltzer come from?

The last name Smeltzer is of German origin and is still most prevalent in Germany today as well as other parts of Europe. Smeltzer is also still quite common in the United States, where many families of German origin settled over the centuries.

In the US, the Smeltzer surname is most common in Pennsylvania, where it ranks as the 238th most popular name, and New York, where it ranks 239th. Additionally, according to Ancestry estimates, the name is the minutely 354th most common surname in the United States. The US Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey estimates that there are over 5,700 people in the US who share the Smeltzer last name. The name is also common in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Georgia, and North Carolina.

In Canada, the name Smeltzer is more rare, ranking as the 2,241st most common surname across the country. In the United Kingdom, the name is even more uncommon, with only an estimated 804 people sharing the surname. Smeltzers are present in other parts of Europe, however, including France, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

Overall, the Smeltzer name is still relatively common today, especially among those of German origin living in the United States and Europe.

Variations of the surname Smeltzer

The surname Smeltzer is a German or Dutch surname that has many variations in spelling including: Smeltzer, Smelter, Smeltz, Smeltzor, Smeltzner, Smeltzner, Smeltzerhof, Smeltinger, Smeltzmann, Smelterman, Smeltman, Smeltmark, Smoltser, Smultzer, and Smultz.

The surname Smeltzer may also have surnames derived from it, such as Smeltzheim, Smelterhouse, Smelterman, Smelzy, Smelts, Smelzer, Smeltzpaur, Smelcombe, and Smeltzerfeld.

The spelling variations are due to differences in phonetic pronunciation and the spelling habits of different countries and languages. The spelling variations essentially carry the same meaning in English, meaning a smelter (a person skilled in smelting, the process of extracting metals from their ores).

In Germany, Smeltzer is the most commonly found spelling of this surname, however, in the United States, Smeltz is the most common spelling. This is likely because many German immigrants adopted the Americanized version of their surname as part of the process of assimilation.

The surname remains prevalent in many countries around the world, including the United States, Germany, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands, among many other countries.

Famous people with the name Smeltzer

• John Smeltzer: An American soccer player who plays for the Austin Bold FC in the USL Championship
• Lewis Earl Smeltzer: An American painter who lived from 1869 to 1938
• Brittany Smeltzer: An American basketball player for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers
• Douglas Smeltzer: An American Grammy Award-winning musician and composer
• Alison Smeltzer: An American actress known for roles in ‘General Hospital’ and ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’
• Christopher Smeltzer: An American veteran of the Iraq War who became a successful speaker and military advocate
• Heather Smeltzer: An American artist specialized in ceramics and one of the founders of the world’s largest ceramics exhibition ‘The Clay Studio’
• Jacob Smeltzer: An American actor and producer known for his roles in ‘Shameless’ and ‘Planet of the Apes’
• Shirley A. Smeltzer: An American playwright and professor emeritus of theater at Rutgers University
• Toby Smeltzer: An American rower who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome

Other surnames

SmeltzSmeltzar