Surname Schefer - Meaning and Origin
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Unexpected Ancestral Insights: How iGENEA's DNA Test Uncovered the Richness of the Schefer Lineage
iGENEA's DNA test unearths unexpected revelations about the depth and diversity of the Schefer lineage. These findings have reshaped the narrator's self-understanding, introducing connections that spanned continents and a range and nature of experiences previously unrecognized.
C. Schefer
read moreSchefer: What does the surname Schefer mean?
The last name Schefer is of German origin and is likely derived from the Middle High German word “scherefer” which translates to “shearer,” a worker who would operater machines that cut and shave wool, fur etc. It was likely first used as an occupational surname. Other variants of this surname include Scheffer, Schaeffer, Shaffer, and Shifer.
Generally, Schefer is a rare surname, and is more common in some parts of Germany than in others. The United States is one of the countries with the highest population of people with this surname. This name was brought to the US by German immigrants in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The name Schefer is associated with several notable people, including Kurt Schefer (political scientist and professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London) and Viennese educator Carl Schefer. Karl Schefer was a conscientious objector in World War I, and Martin Schefer (1875–1943) was a Swedish artist, filmmaker, and photographer.
Overall, the surname Schefer appears to be quite rare compared to other surnames, so it is likely quite unique to its bearer. As the name was originally associated with a professional shearer of wool and fur, the name reflects the skill, experience, and tradition of those who work with animals and fibers.
Order DNA origin analysisSchefer: Where does the name Schefer come from?
The last name Schefer is a German surname, originating from the area around Germany and Austria. It is most commonly found in Germany today, and is also common in some neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
It is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Schef, a popular German name during the Middle Ages. It was a common name given to small land barons, and a term used to refer to someone who held a certain level of power in their village.
The surname Schefer is sometimes known as Schaffer or Shaffer in the United States, due to being anglicised upon immigrants arriving from Germany. Examples of this can be found in the 18th century records during the American Revolution. It is rarely seen in the UK.
The Schefer name appears in public records in the late 19th and early 20th centuries suggesting that the surname was brought to the United States by German immigrants who left their home country during this time period.
Today, the last name Schefer is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and other neighbouring countries. However, examples of the surname Schefer or its variants can also be found in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Schefer
The surname Schefer has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include the surnames Schaeffer, Schäfer, Scheffer, Schafer, Schaefer, Schafer, Shaffer, Shafer, Shafer, Shiffer, and Schoefer.
The surname Schefer is of German origin and most likely originated in the Middle Ages. In Germany, it was common for families to assume a variation of their given name, such as "Schaeffer," which means "shepherd" or "servant of God." Over time and across borders, the spelling of the name has varied, likely due to language and culture influences.
The alternate spelling of Schäfer is derived from the German symbol "ä," which stands for the sounds "ay" or "eh," with the letter "a" being substituted in other languages.
In addition, the surname Schefer was also anglicized to easier-to-pronounce variations like Shaffer and Shafer. This name is common in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands and the United States.
The restoring of surname spelling is a very common practice among language change, as certain families desire to get closer to the original pronunciation. Through the process of linguistics, often merchants, immigrants and their descendants can trace the roots of their surnames.
Famous people with the name Schefer
- Hans Schefer (1822–1889), German playwright
- Theodore Scheffer (1820-1900), American politician
- Ole Schefer (1890–1978), Danish author
- Caroline Schefer (born 1957), Swiss artist
- Paul Schefer (1878–1945), French painter
- Celia Shefer (born 1982), Ukrainian painter
- Ilja Scheffer (born 1970), Dutch mineralogist
- André Scheffer (born 1939), Luxembourgish sculptor
- Raymond Scheffer (1905–1999), French politician
- Julius Scheffer (1821-1886), Austrian Jewish entrepreneur
- Charles Scheffer (1821-1886), American Civil War veteran
- Gèza Scheffer (1904-1985), Hungarian conductor
- Eliel Schefer (1915-1997), Brazilian poet
- Walter Scheffer (1899-1980), Austrian-British architect
- Richard Scheffer (1935-2005), German funeral director
- Adriaan Scheffer (1796-1862), Dutch painter
- Murray Schafer (born 1933), Canadian composer
- Johann Scheffer (1795-1858), German theologian
- Lazar Schefer (1864-1917), Ukrainian rabbi
- Jakob Schefer (1892-1958), Swiss engineer