Schmied is a surname of German

Germans

The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

 origin^{http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/fact.aspx?&fid=5&fn=&ln=Schmied}. Its meaning is derived from the German word Schmied, which is a smith (of tin, gold, silver, or other metal). Common variations are Schmitt, Schmit, Schmidt, and Smith.

Changes over time

Smith was often used as a replacement for names that were difficult to pronounce when immigrants went through customs in the 1800s. Hence, many Smiths are not Smiths at all. Another commonly changed name was Schneider

Schneider

Schneider is a surname, common in Germany, it may also refer to:Companies and organizations* G. Schneider & Sohn, Bavarian brewery company* Schneider Rundfunkwerke AG, former owner of the Dual brand record players...

, which was often changed to Snyder. Some, however, elected to do so willfully to "blend in" more.

People

• Wieland der Schmied
  Wieland der Schmied (libretto)
  Wieland der Schmied is a draft by Richard Wagner for an opera libretto based on the Germanic legend of Wayland Smith...
  
   ("Wieland the Smith"), a draft by Richard Wagner for an opera libretto based on the Germanic legend

• Hans-Ulrich "Uli" Schmied
  Hans-Ulrich Schmied
  Hans-Ulrich "Uli" Schmied is a German rower who competed for East Germany in the 1968 Summer Olympics, in the 1972 Summer Olympics, and in the 1976 Summer Olympics.He was born in Meißen....
  
   (born 1947), a German rower
• Kenneth Allen Schmied
  Kenneth A. Schmied
  Kenneth Allen Schmied , a Republican, served as Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky.Schmied was the son of a Swiss immigrant who sold coffee door to door and later owned a furniture store. Kenneth A...
  
   (1911 - 1973), a Republican, served as Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky
• Kurt Schmied
  Kurt Schmied
  Kurt Schmied was a goalkeeper for First Vienna FC and Austria national football team.-International career:...
  
  (1926 - 2007), a goalkeeper for First Vienna FC and Austria national football team