Surname Smelzar - Meaning and Origin

Smelzar: What does the surname Smelzar mean?

The last name Smelzar is a habitational surname, derived from the name of several places throughout Czechoslovakia and Poland. The root of the name suggests that the namesake town or village was derived from the personal name Smel, which has the same root as the name Simon.

The meaning of the Smelzar surname is largely unknown, as record keeping was fairly primitive in those areas during the Middle Ages. However, some records suggest that the name Smelzar might be derived from the Old Czech verb smel, which means "to glimmer" or "to gleam", or from the Old Czech word smelost, meaning “glowing.” This is also backed up by the fact that the majority of families of this surname tend to be found in areas with coal mines, suggesting that these people may be related to those who worked in the coal industry.

The name Smelzar can also be seen as an occupational surname, as and could indicate that the bearer of the name was a smeltery worker, someone who worked in the metal refining industry in those areas in the Middle Ages.

In Polish documents, the surname Smelzar is typically spelled as Smelcer or Smelcerz, indicating that it may also be related to the Low German verb smelken (to work metal) or smiensen (to forge metal). This suggests that the Smelzar family originated in Central and Eastern Europe, probably in what is now modern-day Poland or Czech Republic, and were likely highly skilled blacksmiths who produced the tools and weapons needed for trade in those areas.

Smelzar: Where does the name Smelzar come from?

The last name Smelzar is not an especially common one and there is no informed consensus on its place of origin. It is generally thought that the name is of socio-ethnic Polish or Yiddish origin from the Polish and Yiddish word “smelz” meaning “smooth”.

Today, the last name Smelzar is not particularly prevalent. In the United States, it ranks at 588,182 in 2020. Canada has very few records of people with this last name. It does not appear on any list of surnames in the UK.

The only two countries in which it appears in significant numbers are Germany and Russia. In Germany, it is estimated that there are currently around 40 people with this last name. They are generally concentrated in the western regions of the country. In Russia, it is much more common and is estimated to have a population of around 2,500 individuals.

Due to its rarity, the Smelzar last name is unlikely to be encountered in everyday life. For anyone looking to trace a lineage with this particular name, it may be necessary to look to either Germany or Russia for further information.

Variations of the surname Smelzar

The surname Smelzar is likely of German or Ashkenazi Jewish origin and is most commonly spelled Smelzer. Variants of the name include Smeltzer, Smelter, Smelters, Smelte, Smeltes, Smiltz, Smelts, Smeltz, Smeltzs, Smeltzer, Smicz, Smelcz, Smelczar, and Smilzer.

In some cases, due to difficulty in reading handwritten records or possible errors when transcribed, the surname may have been accidentally altered. For example, the name may have been rendered as Smeler, Smelker, Smelas, Smelkos, Smelcks, Smelx, Smelcx, or Smelcxer.

The surnames Smeltzer and Smelzer are closely related, as they both are derived from the Middle High German word ‘smelzen’, meaning ‘to smelt’ or ‘forge’. Variations can also be found in American records as Smelman, Smalzman, Smelzzman, and Smelzam.

Another spelling of the surname is Schmeltzer, which is derived from the word ‘schmelzen’ which means ‘to melt’ in German. Surnames derived from this spelling may include Schmolsar, Schmelzar, Schmelz, Schmeltzer, and Schmeltzke.

The surname Smelzar may also have been derived from the pre-modern name ‘Scelfaz’ or ‘Scales’, which was derived from the German word ‘scelfer’ meaning ‘scale’ and ‘az’ meaning ‘possessive particle’. Such surnames derived from this include Schelsar, Schellzer, Schelz, Shelzar, Schellzar, Shellzar, and Shellzer.

Overall, the surname Smelzar is likely of German or Ashkenazi Jewish origin and has many related variants and spellings.

Famous people with the name Smelzar

• Michael Smelzar, a Ukrainian-born Israeli film director
• Izzy Smelzar, an American rock and roll musician
• Andrea Smelzar, a Czech SLOVAK fashion designer
• Joanna Smelzar, an American author and illustrator
• Anastasia Smelzar, a Russian-speaking Ukrainian singer
• Betsy Smelzar, an American film actress
• Ray Smelzar, a British record producer and composer
• Nigel Smelzar, a Canadian video game designer
• Livonia Smelzar, an American stage and screen actress
• Sarah-Jane Smelzar, an Australian television presenter and journalist

Other surnames

Smelzer