Find out how popular the last name Schaefer is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Schaefer.

Schaefer, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Schaefer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schaefer in America

Schaefer is the 841st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schaefer surname appeared 41,063 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 14 people would have the surname Schaefer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schaefer to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Schaefer

The surname Schaefer originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is an occupational name derived from the German word "Schäfer," which translates to "shepherd" or "sheepherder." This name was given to individuals who worked as shepherds, tending to flocks of sheep, a common occupation in rural areas during that time.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Schaefer can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable example is found in the Württembergisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the region of Württemberg, Germany, which mentions a "Cunradus dictus Schaefer" (Conrad called Schaefer) in 1285.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across different regions of Germany, such as the Stadtbücher (city books) of Cologne, where a "Johannes Schaefer" was documented in 1368. The name also appeared in the Bürgeraufnahmen (citizen registrations) of Frankfurt am Main, where a "Heincze Schaefer" was recorded in 1387.

The surname Schaefer has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One prominent figure was Johann Valentin Schaefer (1687-1746), a German painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings. Another notable Schaefer was Johann Wilhelm Schaefer (1718-1790), a German composer and organist who served as the court organist in Copenhagen.

In the 19th century, Karl Schaefer (1844-1908) was a German architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Reichstag building in Berlin. Another Schaefer of note was Theodor Schaefer (1846-1910), a German explorer and naturalist who conducted expeditions in West Africa and published works on the flora and fauna of the region.

The name Schaefer has also been found in various place names throughout Germany, such as Schaeferhof (shepherd's farm) and Schaeferberg (shepherd's mountain), reflecting the occupational origins of the surname.

While the spelling "Schaefer" is the most common form in German, variations in spelling have existed, including Schäfer, Schefer, and Sheffer, among others. These spelling variations often occurred due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation and record-keeping practices.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schaefer

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Schaefer.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Schaefer was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Schaefer has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Schaefer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Schaefer, please contact us.

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