Smithfield

Smithfield may refer to:

Australia

Canada

Ireland

Hong Kong

South Africa

South America

United Kingdom

United States

Smith (surname)

Smith is a family name (surname) originating in England. It is the most prevalent surname in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, the second most common surname in Canada, and the fifth most common surname in Ireland. The surname Smith is particularly prevalent among those of English, Scottish and Irish descent, but is also a common surname among African Americans, which can be attributed to black slaves being forced to adopt the name during slavery and never changing the name upon the end of the era of slavery and after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. 2,376,206 Americans shared the surname Smith during the 2000 census, and more than 500,000 people share it in the United Kingdom. At the turn of the 20th century, the surname was sufficiently prevalent in England to have prompted the statement: "Common to every village in England, north, south, east and west"; and sufficiently common on the (European) continent (in various forms) to be "...common in most countries of Europe."

Smithfield (dog)

The Smithfield, Smithfield Collie or Smithfield Sheepdog is a type of herding dog. It is a large, strong dog of collie type. The Smithfield can be black, grey or red with a white collar, or wholly white and they always possess floppy-ears and shaggy hair on the body, face and legs. Two varieties exist, with one having a natural bobtail and the second with a longer tail. It was used for droving cattle in the south-east of England, especially the Smithfield Market in London, and although this breed of dog is believed to be extinct and was never recognised by any of the major kennel clubs before its extinction, dogs of similar type are shown under the same name in Tasmania, Australia.

Overview

The Smithfield was first introduced to Australia during colonial times. It was a handy dog used to work the meat markets in Smithfield, London. It is a dog standing from 18 to 21 inches (46 to 53 cm) and has a shaggy appearance. Very little has been documented about this breed, and although it is not a recognised pure-breed in the Australian National Kennel Council, it is shown at the Campbell Town Show in Tasmania. Many older farmers still own the breed as well as some breeders who want to keep the original lines going and maintain effort in a future of the breed.