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

Schermerhorn, 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 Schermerhorn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schermerhorn in America

Schermerhorn is the 10636th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schermerhorn surname appeared 3,011 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 Schermerhorn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schermerhorn 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 Schermerhorn

The surname Schermerhorn has its origins in the Netherlands, specifically the province of South Holland. It emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century. The name is derived from the Dutch words "schermer" meaning "fencer" and "horn" meaning "corner" or "end." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived or worked near the end of a fencing or palisade, possibly a guard or fence-maker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Schermerhorn can be found in the Dutch census records from the town of Schiedam in 1463, where a Jan Schermerhorn is listed as a resident. Over the following centuries, the name began to spread across the Netherlands and into other parts of Europe.

In the 17th century, during the Dutch Golden Age, several members of the Schermerhorn family emigrated to the Dutch colonial settlements in North America, particularly the Dutch West Indies and New Netherland (later New York). One notable early bearer of the name was Jacob Janse Schermerhorn, who was born in 1622 in the town of Waterland, Netherlands, and later settled in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in the 1650s.

Another significant figure in the history of the Schermerhorn name was Simon Schermerhorn, born in 1640 in Beverwijck (present-day Albany, New York). He was a prominent trader and landowner in the Hudson Valley region and played a significant role in the development of the Dutch colonial settlements in New York.

In the 18th century, Abraham Schermerhorn (1701-1783) was a wealthy merchant and landowner in New York City. He was a member of the Provincial Council of New York and played an active role in the city's politics and business affairs.

During the American Revolutionary War, several members of the Schermerhorn family served in the Continental Army, including Jacob Schermerhorn (1736-1825), who fought in the Battle of Saratoga and later became a prominent judge in New York State.

In the 19th century, William C. Schermerhorn (1768-1851) was a successful businessman and real estate developer in New York City. He was involved in the construction of several notable buildings, including the Schermerhorn Row on Broadway, which was considered a landmark of its time.

Throughout history, the Schermerhorn name has been associated with various professions, including merchants, traders, landowners, politicians, and judges, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of individuals bearing this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schermerhorn

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

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

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

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