Surname Smettana - Meaning and Origin
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Smettana: What does the surname Smettana mean?
The last name Smettana is of Italian origin. It is a derivative of the Italian surname Smettere, which means "to stop" or "to cease". The name was most likely given to a person who displayed a traits of caution or reluctancy when making decisions.
It can also be derived from the German word “smitten”, meaning “to be in love”. This suggests that the bearer of the name may have been someone who lived a passionate life with a strong loving relationship and who won the admiration of others around them.
Smettana in its most basic form is a patronymic surname, which is one derived from the father's name. It is a fairly common Italian name and has been present in various parts of the world since the late 14th century.
Today there are many families and individuals who proudly bear the name, and many variants of the name exist, including: Smetana, Smallina, Smatana, Smetena and Smetanina. It is believed that approximately 2000 individuals worldwide currently have the Smettana surname.
The name Smettana is thought to be indicative of a person of strong moral character who is compassionate and loving, making it a wonderful name to carry forward for generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisSmettana: Where does the name Smettana come from?
The last name Smettana is most commonly encountered today in Central and Eastern Europe. It is particularly prevalent in the Czech Republic, where it is the 4,320th most common surname, according to the 2011 National Census. It is also seen in Slovakia as the 11,033rd most common surname. In Poland, Smettana ranks as the 2,711th most common surname while in Hungary it is the 2,738th most common surname.
In other parts of Europe, Smettana is not as commonly seen. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, it does not rank in the top 100,000 names. Similarly, in Germany it falls off the list of the top 100,000 names at around the 34,000th position.
In North America, especially in the US and Canada, Smettana is virtually non-existent as the name does not even make the list of the top 100,000 surnames. This likely reflects the low immigration rates of Central and Eastern Europeans that began in the early 20th century and which have only recently begun to increase in 2016-2017.
Overall, Smettana appears to be predominantly a Central and Eastern European surname with very few traces in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Smettana
The surname 'Smettana' is derived from the Old High German word 'smiut', which means 'smooth'. This name was adopted by many different cultures and has evolved over time to various forms.
Variants of Smettana include: Smittana, Smittendorf, Smidtendort, Schmittendorf, Smittendorp, Smid, Smidt, Smiett, and Smiedt.
Spelling variations of the name include: Smeeddana, Smeediene, Smieden, Smiedana, Smeden, Smihede, Smiden, Smitten, Smidtanna, Smitedna, Smined, Smitye, Smithena, Smediene, Smidenna, Smiddana.
Surnames that are derived from Smettana include: Schmidt, Schmied or Schmitt (origins in Germany) and Smythe (origins in England).
The use of the different variants, spellings and surnames of Smettana is largely based on geographical area. For instance, the variation Smiedt is mainly used in the Netherlands, while Schmidt is widely used in Germany. Smythe is a popular variant in Britain, and Smittendorf is widely used in Scandinavia.
Despite the various forms of the Smettana surname, they all share the same origin of 'smooth' and its variations. As a result, the surname Smettana has endured a wide variety of variations over time, holding tremendous cultural significance and ties.
Famous people with the name Smettana
- Bedřich Smetana (1824: 1884): Czech composer, best known for his symphonic poem, “The Moldau”
- Otakar Šmétana (1868: 1919): Czech soldier and politician
- Bass Smetana (1918: 2004): Czech composer and music educator
- Jan Smetana (1936: 2011): Czech zoologist
- František Smetana (1917: 1994): Czech classical music composer
- Letní Smetana (1952: present): Czech composer, arranger, musician and teacher
- Václav Smetana (1879: 1945): Czech conductor, composer and teacher
- Roger Smetana (1951: present): American film and television composer
- Jacques Smetana (1915: 1981): Czech actor, stage director and theatre manager
- Hans Smetana (1907: 1990): Swiss actor and film director