Surname Schäferhans - Meaning and Origin
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Schäferhans: What does the surname Schäferhans mean?
The German surname Schäferhans can be translated to mean “Shepherd’s Hans” and indicates a likely profession for the original ancestor who held the surname. Essentially, the name implies the individual was a shepherd in their trade. It would suggest that those who held the last name for generations of their family may have lived and worked in rural areas or farming communities as a shepherd herding sheep and other livestock.
Typically, it was not uncommon for individuals to inherit certain professions or trades, a result of generations of the same family practicing particular crafts. This could explain the origin of the surname Schäferhans, implying that an ancestor of the family line was a shepherd whom was referred to as ‘Hans’.
In contemporary times, Schäferhans is mainly found in the German region of Bavaria, with a small percentage of the holders of the Schäferhans name living in the United States. Those who hold the surname today may have become descendants of the shepherd ancestor and today hold different trades and professions.
Order DNA origin analysisSchäferhans: Where does the name Schäferhans come from?
The last name Schäferhans is most commonly found in Germany and Switzerland today. It is a fairly rare name, but still has a strong presence in both countries.
In Germany, the name Schäferhans is mainly found in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Because the ending -hans denotes a patronymic surname, it is thought that its presence in this region dates back to the Middle Ages. A patronymic surname is one formed from a father's name, hence Schäferhans would mean 'son of Schäfer' and Schäfer is a German word for 'shepherd'.
In Switzerland, the name Schäferhans is distributed mainly in the cantons of Bern, Aargau, and Solothurn, although it is still present throughout the country. The name may have originated in any of these cantons, and went on to spread to the other areas.
Overall, the last name Schäferhans is a relatively rare one, but it has a strong presence in Germany and Switzerland. It may have originated centuries ago as a patronymic surname, with its bearer being the son of a shepherd.
Variations of the surname Schäferhans
Schäferhans is a surname of German origin. It is derived from the word Schäfer, which means shepherd, and hans, a German diminutive of Johannes, meaning John. It is believed to have been the occupation name of a shepherd and over time, the surname became hereditary.
The spelling and variants of Schäferhans include: Schaeferhans, Schaefershans, Schaefferhans, Schaeferhans, Schäffershans, Schafferhans, Schaffershans, Schaeffershans, Schaefershans, Scheffershans, Schäfershans, Schäfferhans, and Schaffershans.
Surnames of similar origin include: Shepherds, Schäfers, Schaffers, Shafers, Shaffer, Schaefer, Sheferred, Shepherded, Sheperd, Shepherdson, Schafer, Schaeffer, Schoeller, Schafer, Schafer, Shaffer, Shafer, Schiller, Shevlin, Shevelin, Schulte, Schultheis and Schultes.
In some cases, Schäferhans has been changed or modified to other surnames such as Schafer, Schaffer, Schafers, Shafers, Shaffer, Scheffer, Sheffer, and Sheffler.
The surname is common in Germany and other parts of Europe, such as Austria, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic. It is also found in the United States.
Famous people with the name Schäferhans
- Marlene Schäferhans: Marlene is a Swiss actress who gained popularity in Europe for her roles in various television shows and movies such as Ponygirl, Kommissar Rex, Lou, and many more.
- Reinhold Schäferhans: Reinhold was an Austrian film director who’s most notable work was The White Horse Inn, a German-language musical film made in 1950.
- Felix Schäferhans: Felix is a Swiss Olympic biathlete who won a bronze medal at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.
- Renate Schäferhans: Renate is a Swiss politician who served as a member of the Swiss National Council from 2015 to 2019.
- Robert Schäferhans: Robert is a former Austrian footballer who played for clubs such as FC Kufstein, FC Wacker Innsbruck, and SC Rheindorf Altach.
- Erwin Schäferhans: Erwin is an Austrian alpine skier who competed in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup from 1971 to 1975, winning a bronze medal at the 1975 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
- Daniel Schäferhans: Daniel is a Swiss orienteering competitor who won a gold medal at the 1994 World Orienteering Championships held in Norway.
- Lukas Schäferhans: Lukas is a Swiss Paralympic athlete who competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympic Games in Greece.
- Andrea Schäferhans: Andrea is a Swiss alpine skier who competed in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup from 2003 to 2015.