NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2071, 13 October 1880, Page 3

NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

A glance through Wise and Co.’s new directory, remarks the “ Post,” reveals some curious facts in reference to the relative frequency of surnames in the colony. The immortal Smith family, of course, head the list, there being no fewer than 698 householders so named in New Zealand. Nine others prefer to spell it in the more aristocratic manner—“ Smyth”—while five aspire to the no plus ultra of refinement by signing themselves 11 Smythe.” In addition to these, we have a few others lurking under such flimsy disguises as Schmid, Schmidt, Smid, Smidt, and Smit. In point of number the Browns come next, the colony being able to boast of no fewer than 497 householders who are representatives of that illustrious name. It is in the still prouder position of being able to congratulate itself on the possession of twenty-three colonists bearing the same name with the patrician final e superadded thereto. Two modest little “ Erouns” complete the list. The Jones family number 312 representatives, and are in the unhappy condition of being able to appear only as Jones, pure and simple, without any final e (for obvious reasons), and, strange to say, none of them presume to style themselves Jjones, although we have five Flitches and two Ffrosts. The Robinsons are also pure and unadulterated, and are comparative a feeble folk, numbering only a paltry 170 or so.