The name originally referred to the strait Snævringen ("the narrowing"), which is the narrowest part of the Little Belt, and was subsequently applied to the settlement as well.
[1] Niels Christensen Midelfart (died 1683) became a burgher in Trondheim.
His great-grandson was the priest Hans Christian Ulrik Midelfart, a member of the 1814 Norwegian Constituent Assembly.
Today the family is known for its business activities, particularly the former cosmetics group Midelfart & Co., founded in 1923.
A famous member of the family is the businesswoman Celina Midelfart.