Surname Schäffer - Meaning and Origin
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Unravelling the Threads of Ancestry: How iGENEA DNA Test Shaped My Understanding of the Schäffers
Taking an unprecedented journey through time via iGENEA's DNA testing, I unraveled unexpected insights about my Schäffer ancestors. This journey led to a more profound understanding of my lineage, changing the way I perceive myself and the world around me.
U. Schäffer
read moreSchäffer: What does the surname Schäffer mean?
The last name Schäffer is of German origin and is derived from the words 'schaffen' meaning 'shepherd' or 'to create'. It indicates that the original bearer of the name was a shepherd or someone who made a living in that profession.
Schäffer is found in both French and German versions, with the German pronunciation being more common. The Anglicized version of this name is 'Shaffer', which is common in America, England, Scotland, and Wales.
The Schäffer name is tied to the profession of shepherding, which was common in the Middle Ages. Shepherds would tend to flocks of sheep, protecting them from predators and making sure that they stayed healthy. In some cases, shepherds would also navigate treacherous terrain in order to bring the sheep to new pastures.
The Schäffer name is still relatively common today with many people bearing the same last name in various countries including Germany, the United States, Canada, and even some other countries in Africa and Latin America. This exemplifies the global heritage of the Schäffer name and the strength of the shepherding profession that it symbolizes.
Order DNA origin analysisSchäffer: Where does the name Schäffer come from?
The last name Schäffer is most common in Germany and Austria today. Its highest concentration is in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany, and in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Lower Styria in Austria. It is also common in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and parts of Belgium.
The meaning of the name Schäffer is thought to be "shepherd" and it may have originated from sheep herders or sheep farmers in the Middle Ages. It is likely to have been adopted into other countries through migration and occupational occupations.
The Schäffer name is believed to have been spread from Bavaria, where it is particularly common. It is also a common name among German-speaking Jews. There is a Jewish Family Heritage Foundation (SJFH) that works to preserve and research into the history of Jewish surnames, including the name Schäffer.
According to one source, Schäffer is also a common name in the former East Germany, particularly in Guben, Germany—a town close to Berlin.
Schäffer is also present in North America in the United States and Canada. The earliest occurrences are largely from Pennsylvania, but as time passed the name spread to other parts of the country.
In the 2000s, there were approximately 95,000 people in the world with the last name Schäffer, making it a fairly widespread surname. Although the name is more common in Germany and Austria, people with the name can now be found in many countries across the world.
Variations of the surname Schäffer
The surname Schäffer has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The variant spellings of Schäffer are Schaeffer, Schaefer, and Schafer, all of which are of German origin. The German spelling is Schäfer, and during the time of early immigration to America and Canada, the spelling often changed or was mispronounced and spelled as Schaeffer or Schaefer.
Other forms of the surname include Schaeffers, Schaffer, Shaeffer, Schaefers, and Shaffer. Schäffer also has its own derivatives such as Schaffers, Shaffers, Shaffer, and Schaefers.
The surname Schäffer also has many other variants of the same origin such as Schoeffer, Schoiffer, Schoifier, Shofers, Schoffer, Schuefer, Schoufer, and Schuffers. All of these surnames have their root from 'Schäfer', which is the German word for 'shepherd'.
Surnames such as Schufeldt, Schufele, Shufelt, Schueveldt, Schueveld, Schöfel, Schuefer, and Shuffel can also be derived from Schäffer.
Other surnames similar to Schäffer include the Jewish surnames Schaap, Schaaper, Schapiro, and Schapirov. These surnames are derived from the German word “Schäfer”, as well as the Dutch and Yiddish term 'Schapen' or 'Schape', which mean 'Sheep'. It is also possible to derive the surname Shafa from Schäffer, as it can be a Hebrew variation meaning 'Shepherd'.
Famous people with the name Schäffer
- Gavin Schäffer: American illusionist, magician and actor
- Jean Schäffer: French politician
- Kevyn Schäffer: German figure skater
- Kurt Schäffer: German film director
- Manfred Schäffer: German footballer
- Peter Schäffer: German printer and publisher
- Richard Schäffer: British rower
- Werner Schäffer: German Lutheran theologian
- Wilhelm Schäffer: Austrian tenor
- Wolf-Dieter Schäffer German art historian and archaeologist