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

Scherrer, 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 Scherrer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Scherrer in America

Scherrer is the 10352nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Scherrer surname appeared 3,112 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 Scherrer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Scherrer 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 Scherrer

The surname Scherrer is believed to have originated in Switzerland, particularly in the German-speaking regions of the country. It likely dates back to the late medieval or early modern period, around the 14th to 16th centuries.

The name Scherrer is thought to have derived from the German word "Scherer," which means "shearer" or "one who cuts cloth or fabric." This occupation was common in the textile industry, which was a significant economic activity in parts of Switzerland during that time.

One of the earliest known references to the Scherrer name can be found in the records of the city of Zürich, Switzerland, where a family with this surname was mentioned in the 15th century. The name also appears in various historical documents from other regions of Switzerland, such as Bern and Basel.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Scherrer was Hans Scherrer, a Swiss painter and engraver who was active in the city of Lucerne. He is known for his religious paintings and engravings, some of which can still be found in Swiss churches and museums.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Johann Scherrer (1542-1607), a Swiss theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. He was a professor at the University of Heidelberg and authored several theological works.

In the 18th century, a Swiss military officer named Johann Scherrer (1724-1789) gained recognition for his service in the French army during the Seven Years' War. He rose to the rank of lieutenant general and was awarded the Order of Saint Louis by the French King Louis XV.

The Scherrer surname can also be found in various placenames in Switzerland, such as Scherrersmatt and Scherrersmühle, which suggest that families with this name had settled in those areas.

Another notable figure with the Scherrer surname was the Swiss painter and printmaker Cuno Amiet (1868-1961), whose full name was Cuno Amiet Scherrer. He was a prominent member of the avant-garde Brücke group of artists and is known for his vibrant, Expressionist-style paintings.

Overall, the surname Scherrer has a rich history rooted in Switzerland, particularly in the textile industry and various professions, and has been associated with notable individuals in the arts, religion, and military over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Scherrer

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

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

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

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