Smolin Family History

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) and Russian: occupational name for a pitch burner from East Slavic smola ‘pitch’.

The name is derived from the combination of the word for 'pitch' and a possessive suffix.

This indicates a connection to the profession of producing or working with pitch.

Occupational names often reflect the trades or crafts of ancestors.

The usage of -in suggests a form of belonging or association with that occupation.