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

Schechter, 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 Schechter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schechter in America

Schechter is the 9573rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schechter surname appeared 3,395 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 Schechter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schechter 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 Schechter

The surname Schechter has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Schächter," which means a ritual slaughterer or a person responsible for slaughtering animals according to Jewish dietary laws.

The earliest recorded instances of the Schechter surname can be found in various German documents and records from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a Jacob Schechter in a 1602 census record from the town of Frankenthal, in the Palatinate region of Germany.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Schachter, Schechter, and Shechter, among others. These variations can often be attributed to regional dialects, transcription errors, or attempts to anglicize the name.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Schechter surname was Solomon Schechter (1847-1915), a renowned scholar and leader in the field of Jewish studies. He was born in Romania and later emigrated to England, where he became the president of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1902.

Another notable figure was Joseph Schechter (1877-1957), an American rabbi and scholar who served as the president of the Rabbinical Assembly of America and played a significant role in the development of Conservative Judaism.

In the realm of literature, Ruth Schechter (1904-1989) was an American author and editor, best known for her works on Jewish history and culture, including "The Prince of Boston" and "The Way Home."

The name Schechter has also been associated with various places and locations throughout history. For instance, the town of Schechter, located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, may have derived its name from individuals bearing this surname who lived in or near the area.

It is worth noting that the Schechter surname, while primarily associated with Jewish communities, has also been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and ethnicities over time, further diversifying its historical and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schechter

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

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

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

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