Smyth family name history and map
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Smyth in 1911 Ireland
The 1911 Census recorded 16,434 people named Smyth in Ireland, about 0.375% of everyone living in the country at the time and the 18th most common surname overall. The name was split fairly evenly between men and women: 8,138 men and 8,278 women. (A small number, 18, had no sex recorded.)
Counties with Smyth in Ireland
Antrim had the largest share of Smyths, 19.5% (3,197 people). Next came Down (2,160), Dublin (1,962), Cavan (1,375) and Derry (904).
Smyth average age in 1911
The average Smyth in 1911 was 29.4 years old, 29.1 for men and 29.7 for women; almost exactly in line with the national averages of 29.6 for men and 30.5 for women. That low figure reflects just how many children there were in Edwardian Ireland, along with high infant mortality and the limits of public health at the time. For comparison, average life expectancy in Ireland today is around 83.
Smyth literacy in 1911
Of the Smyths whose literacy was recorded, 80% could both read and write, 3.8% could read but not write, and 16.2% could do neither. The figures were much the same for men and women. Bear in mind these figures include young children; the census itself only counted people aged nine and over when calculating illiteracy, on the grounds that it was unfair to label a child illiterate before they'd had a chance to learn.
Smyth common first names
The most common male names were John (972), James, Patrick, William and Thomas. For women it was Mary (943), followed by Margaret, Bridget, Annie and Elizabeth.
Smyth occupations in 1911
The most common entry on a Smyth's census form was "Scholar"; 20% (3,294) were children at school. Among the rest, the most common occupations were farmer (13.4%), general labourer (4.2%), textile worker (3.7%) and farm labourer (3.4%). Grouped by sector, agriculture accounted for 17.5% of all Smyths, followed by textiles & clothing, general labourers and domestic service.
What religion is Smyth?
Most Smyths, 59.9%, were Roman Catholic. The remainder were mostly Presbyterian (19.7%), Anglican (16.2%), Methodist (1.7%) and Plymouth Brethren (0.4%).
Visitor Notes
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Added by
Pete F
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Smyth statistics (1911)
Number: 16,434
Rank: 18
Average Age: 29
Smyth in the USA (2020)
Number: 9,912
Rank: 3,507
Note: If there were less than 100 in the USA census it will show as zero.
