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

Schaff, 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 Schaff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schaff in America

Schaff is the 11035th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schaff surname appeared 2,881 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Schaff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schaff 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 Schaff

The surname SCHAFF is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "scaf," meaning "ram" or "sheep." It is believed to have originated in the regions of southern Germany and Austria, where the name was likely first adopted by individuals involved in the sheep-rearing industry.

The earliest recorded instances of the name SCHAFF can be traced back to the 13th century, with mentions in various historical documents and records. One notable reference is found in the "Codex Traditionum Monasterii S. Stephani Herbipolensis," a medieval manuscript from the Monastery of St. Stephen in Würzburg, which mentions an individual named "Conradus Schaff" in the year 1278.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the SCHAFF surname began to spread across various regions of Germany and neighboring countries. In the "Nürnberger Bürgerbuch," a citizen registry from the city of Nuremberg, several individuals bearing the name SCHAFF are listed, including Hans Schaff (born circa 1410) and Ulrich Schaff (born circa 1435).

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the SCHAFF surname was Johann Schaff, a prominent theologian and reformer who lived from 1495 to 1553. He was an influential figure during the Protestant Reformation and played a significant role in the spread of Lutheran teachings in the region of Pomerania.

In the 17th century, the SCHAFF name gained further recognition with the birth of Johann Philipp Schaff (1622-1678), a German jurist and legal scholar. He served as a professor of law at the University of Strasbourg and authored several notable works on legal theory and practice.

Another notable figure with the SCHAFF surname was Philip Schaff (1819-1893), a renowned theologian, church historian, and educator. Born in Switzerland, he later immigrated to the United States and became a prominent figure in the German Reformed Church. He authored numerous works on church history, including the multi-volume "History of the Christian Church."

As the SCHAFF surname spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as Schaf, Schaeff, and Schäff. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and linguistic traditions, but they all shared a common root and meaning.

Today, the SCHAFF surname can be found in various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of German and Austrian immigrants over the centuries. While the name may have originated in the sheep-rearing industry, it has since been adopted by individuals from diverse backgrounds and occupations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schaff

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

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 Schaff 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 Schaff 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 Schaff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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