Smithers
An English surname that likely began as a form of Smither or as a place-name corruption linked to Smethurst.
The #9,320 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 88,390 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is usually explained as either a patronymic-like form meaning "son of Smither" or as a later spelling change from a local surname such as Smethurst. Older writers also connected it with Smither, an old word associated with being quick or active, though that explanation is less secure. In practice, the surname seems to have more than one historical pathway, and the different forms may have become mixed.
History
19th-century surname writers treated Smithers as an English name and often grouped it with Smither, Smithies, and related forms. Bardsley thought it was commonly a corruption of Smethurst, while Harrison also allowed for a connection with Smither's son. The surname is now established in English-speaking countries, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname books sometimes treated Smithers as a ‘corruption’ of another name, showing how fluid spelling and pronunciation could be in English local records.
From the historical record
“Smithep, and -|- E. man] SMITHERS (Eng.) i Smither's (Son): v. Smither. 2 conf. with Smithurst, q.v. SMITHETT, a corrupt form of iSmaithwaite, q-v. 2 Smipthwalte, Smurthwaite, q.v. SMITHIES 1 (Eng.) Dweller or Worker at SMITHYESJ the Smithies [O.E. smiSSe,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)