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

Schima, 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 Schima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schima in America

Schima is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schima surname appeared 100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Schima.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schima 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 Schima

The surname Schima is of German origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century in the region of Bavaria. It is believed to have derived from the German word "schimmel," which refers to a particular shade of pale grey or white color. This suggests that the name might have originally been a descriptive nickname for someone with pale or light-colored hair or complexion.

In historical records, the name Schima appears in various spelling variations, including Schimma, Schyma, and Schymma. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Parish Records of Augsburg, where a certain Hans Schima was mentioned in 1567.

Interestingly, the name Schima was also associated with a small village in the Bavarian region, known as Schimau or Schimau am Inn. This village was first recorded in the 13th century, and it is possible that the surname Schima may have originated from this place name, indicating that the earliest bearers hailed from this particular location.

Among notable historical figures bearing the surname Schima, one can mention Johann Schima (1689-1755), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg. Another prominent individual was Karl Schima (1824-1887), an Austrian botanist and professor at the University of Vienna, who made significant contributions to the field of plant taxonomy.

In the realm of literature, the name Schima is associated with Hans Schima (1885-1968), an Austrian writer and playwright known for his works exploring the lives of ordinary people in rural settings. His most acclaimed play, "Der Dorfbader" (The Village Barber), premiered in 1925 and received critical acclaim for its authentic portrayal of village life.

Additionally, the Schima surname has been carried by notable figures in various fields, such as Otto Schima (1905-1991), an Austrian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the National Council of Austria, and Günther Schima (born 1944), an Austrian painter and graphic artist renowned for his abstract and expressionist works.

While the surname Schima may not be among the most prevalent surnames globally, its historical roots and the accomplishments of its bearers across various disciplines have contributed to its enduring legacy and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schima

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!