Jump To Section:
Clan Smith have always been known for their talent, steadfastness, and dedication to honing their skills, and many of their descendants seem to have inherited these traits by the bucket load! Making their names in music, acting, and literature, we hope you’ll be as impressed by these accomplished Smiths as we are.
Meet the Famous Smiths
Iain Crichton Smith
Iain Crichton Smith was a renowned Scottish writer and poet, born on the 1st of January 1928 in Glasgow. He only spent 2 short years of his youth in the city, as the family moved to Lewis in 1930. He grew up in a predominantly Gaelic-speaking community, learning English as a second language at school, an experience that later became an important feature of his work. He was also greatly influenced by the role of religion in his early life, which he found somewhat authoritarian, and at odds with artistic expression.
After finishing secondary school, he went on to study English at the University of Aberdeen, before becoming an English teacher, sharing his love of the subject with students in schools in Clydebank, Dumbarton, and Oban. In 1977, he was able to retire from teaching to concentrate full-time on his writing, and was honoured with an OBE not long after in 1980. He was also awarded honorary doctorates from the Universities of Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen, and won several prestigious literary prizes, including Saltire Society and Scottish Arts council awards.
Smith was a prolific writer, publishing poetry, fiction, translations, and essays. He published his first collection of poetry in 1955, quickly following it up with numerous more collections. He often revisited the same themes, including Highland culture, dealing with rapid societal change, and what he saw as the negative impact of Free Presbyterianism on the human spirit.
While he was arguably best known as a poet, he also gained recognition for his first novel, ‘Consider the Lillies,’ (1968), which explores the experience of an old woman during the time of the Highland Clearances.
Smith was greatly admired for the way he addressed these sensitive elements of Scottish history without obstruction or pretension.
Fellow poet, Edwin Morgan, perhaps described Smith’s style best when he wrote fondly of his peer's writing style, reminiscing that ‘he wrote quickly, usually without revision, and with the risk of being careless and slapdash when he was not writing under good pressure. On the other hand, he gained a sort of unstudied, often surprising lyrical quality which he couldn’t have got any other way. His best poems often seem to slide onto the page without strain or effort; they seem natural, right, and inspired.’
This style can be partially contributed to Smith’s continued connection with his homeland. Although he travelled frequently, giving lectures and poetry readings all over the word, he remained dedicated to Gaelic culture, continuing to live in the village of Taynuilt near Oban until he passed away in 1998. If you are looking for a way to connect with Scottish culture, or your Smith heritage, exploring this great writer’s works would be a great place to start!
Matt Smith
If you are a sci-fi fan, you may be familiar with our next famous face for today.
Matt Smith is an English actor, admired for his energetic performances and wide range of roles in television, film, and theatre. He was born on the 28th of October 1982 in Northampton and as a child dreamt of becoming a professional football player. He gained experience playing for the youth teams of Northampton Town and Nottingham Forest, and even becoming captain of the young Leicester City squad.
However, he sadly suffered a serious back injury which put a halt to his sporting aspirations.
After this setback, his drama teacher encouraged him to try acting. He was reluctant at first, refusing to attend festivals and productions his teacher had signed him up for, as he still saw himself as a footballer only. Eventually, he was persuaded to join the National Youth Theatre, where he began to develop a passion for performing. After leaving school, he went on to study drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia. His career began to take off while he was still a student, and he gained his first professional jobs, ‘Fresh Kills,’ and ‘On the Shore of the Wide World.’
Smith’s real breakthrough came in 2010, when he was cast as the Doctor in the much loved sci-fi series Doctor Who. At just 26, he was the youngest actor to play the role, and his eccentric performance quickly made him a firm favourite. Showrunners later discussed how Smith was one of the first actors they saw audition for the role, and that he immediately stood out. He stayed on the show for 3 years, earning nominations for several awards, including a BAFTA.
After leaving Doctor Who, his career continued to go from strength to strength.
He took to the stage to play Patrick Bateman in an adaptation of ‘American Psycho’ from 2013 to 2014, before being cast in Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut ‘Lost River’ in late 2014. Another iconic role came in 2015, when Smith was cast as Prince Philip in Netflix’s ‘The Crown.’ His performance gained widespread praise, and even received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
In 2020, he appeared in HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon,’ a sequel to the groundbreaking ‘Game of Thrones,’ and in 2021, he starred in the psychological horror film ‘Last Night in Soho.’ In the same year, he also collaborated with one of his favourite musicians, appearing in several music videos for Noel Gallagher’s 'High Flying Birds'. In 2024, he returned to where he began his career, taking to the stage to star in the Ibsen play, ‘An Enemy of the People.’
Having already earned his place as one of the most talented and recognisable actors of our age, we can’t wait to see what Smith gets up to next!
Patti Smith
Our final famous face of Clan Smith for today is commonly considered one of the most influential American singers of all time.
Patti Smith was born on the 30th of December 1946 in Chicago. Raised in a working-class family, she fostered a passion for literature, art, and music from a young age, finding inspiration in renowned writers such as Arthur Rimbaud and William Blake.
In her early 20s, Smith moved to New York City, where she quickly became a key figure in the downtown art and music scene. She began her career performing poetry accompanied by music in numerous popular venues, quickly drawing in a dedicated fanbase. This led to her forming the iconic Patti Smith Group and releasing her debut album, 'Horses', which is considered one of the most significant records in rock history.
She went on to release several more albums throughout the 1970s, including Radio Ethiopia and Easter, gaining commercial success and critical acclaim. In the 1980s, she took a break from touring to focus on family life, but couldn’t stay away from the stage for long, soon returning in the 1990s.
As well as musical talent, Smith is blessed with literary prowess! She has released several acclaimed books including 'M Train', 'Year of the Monkey', and her much admired autobiography, 'Just Kids'.
Her status as a cultural icon was well and truly confirmed when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
To this day, Smith is widely considered to be a pioneering musician who mixes poetry, rock, and visual art to astonishing effect. She continues to inspire new generations of musicians and writers, and surely will for many years to come.
That brings us to the end of this month’s Famous Faces blog, we hope you are feeling more informed about the impressive Clan Smith, and maybe even inspired by their great achievements!
To learn more about the Smiths, head over to our Clan Smith page, and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the rest of our Clan Smith content.
Image Sources:
Bust of Crichton Smith at Edinburgh Park, Public Domain
Smith in 2015 by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Matt Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0
Matt Smith speaking at Los Angeles Comic Con 2023 by Kevin Paul - Own work, CC BY 4.0
Smith at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, 2024 by Harald Krichel - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Smith performing at Cornell University in 1978 by Vistawhite - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
