What about doctors, lawyers, truck drivers, policemen, firemen, baristas, chefs. Not uncommon for people to identify themselves by trade. In fact most surnames were derived from someones occupation [b]Surname SMITH[/b] SOURCE: Occupation USAGE: English PRONOUNCED: SMITH [b]Meaning & History[/b] Means "metal worker, blacksmith" from Old English smiþ, related to smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world. A famous bearer was the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790).