Who is John Smith

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Have you noticed how the name John Smith seems to be every where?  Would you like to know  where John Smith came from?
     
Before entering the more serious world of John Smith and where John Smith came from, here is a small anecdote.

An individual one morning wagered that he would ask the same question of fifty persons and receive the same answer from each. He then went to first one and then another, until he had reached the number of fifty. And this is how he won the bet.
He whispered, half audibly to each, "I say , have you heard that Smith has failed?"
"What Smith? "queried the whole fifty one after another and it was decided that the bet had been fairly won.
      
Have you met John Smith lately?
....... and this last one before I introduce you to the international clan of the family John Smith, here is something you can try out.
An individual wagered that he would ask the same question of fifty persons and receive the same answer from each. He went to first one and then another, until he had reached the number of fifty. And this is how he won the bet.
He whispered, half audibly to each, "I say, have you heard that Smith has failed?"
"What Smith?"queried the whole fifty one after another, and it was decided that the bet had been fairly won.
    
In times gone by a person had a first name followed by a description of  anything that sets him apart - his home town, his red hair,  his job ...    The one profession that was needed everywhere  was a smith.  This made a smith a well off and respected  person, so much so that a blacksmith was proud to be called "smith"  and he would insist on being referred to as smith.

The situation is somewhat similar for the name John.  John the Baptist is an outstanding character and the name is popular in most Christian countries.   Join the popular John with the plentiful Smith and you end up with a whole lot of them. 

Some might seem a little different.   Thus:- In Latin it is Johannes Smithus;     At Canton it is Jahon Smith;     To the Dutchman it is Jan Smid;  The English flattened it to John Smith;   The French smoothed it off to Jean Schmeets;  The Greece render it  'Ion Sinikton;   The Germans turned it into Hans Schmidt;  Icelanders adopted it as Jahne Smithson;   Italians say he is Giovanni Smithi;   In Poland he becomes Ivan Schmittiweiski;   In Mexico he is known as Jontli F'Smitri;  Among the Russians they call him Jonloff  Smittowski;   In South Africa it will be Johannes Smit;   Amongst the Spaniards his name is written Juan Smithus;   In the Tuscaroras he is almost disguised as Tom Qa Smittia;   In Turkey he turns to Yoe Seef;   In the Welsh mountains his name is Jihon Schmidd; Portuguese for sure Joao Smide and from  Europe in general Johann, Johannes or Hans can be in  combination with Schmied, Schmit, Schmitt or Schmitz.

I would like to add more.  If you have a John Smith in another country, please send me the information.   e-mail me

 

 

 

 

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