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

Schoenfeld, 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 Schoenfeld surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schoenfeld in America

Schoenfeld is the 9539th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schoenfeld surname appeared 3,408 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 Schoenfeld.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schoenfeld 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 Schoenfeld

The surname Schoenfeld is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the 14th century. It derives from the Middle High German words "schön" meaning "beautiful" and "feld" meaning "field" or "meadow." The name likely originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a picturesque field or meadow.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name was spelled "Schönfeld" or "Schonfeld," with variations like "Schönfeldt" and "Schoenfeldt" emerging later. Some of the earliest known records of the name can be found in the tax rolls of various German principalities and city-states from the 1400s.

One notable early bearer of the name was Johann Schoenfeld, a German astronomer and mathematician born in 1619 who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion. His work was widely respected and influential during the scientific revolution of the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Schoenfeld appears in various military records and chronicles, suggesting that individuals with this surname may have served in the armies of various German states during this period of frequent conflicts and territorial disputes.

The 19th century saw the spread of the Schoenfeld surname beyond Germany, as many individuals with this name emigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas in search of new opportunities. One prominent figure from this era was Gustav Schoenfeld, a German-American landscape painter born in 1840, whose works captured the natural beauty of the American West.

Another notable bearer of the Schoenfeld name was Eduard Schoenfeld, a German astronomer born in 1828 who specialized in the study of variable stars and asteroids. His meticulous observations and cataloging efforts laid the groundwork for future advancements in these fields.

In the 20th century, the Schoenfeld surname continued to be represented across various disciplines. For example, Martin Schoenfeld was a German-American mathematician and computer scientist born in 1939, known for his contributions to the field of algorithm analysis and complexity theory.

Overall, the surname Schoenfeld has a rich history rooted in the German language and culture, with its earliest origins likely reflecting the picturesque landscapes of medieval Germany. Over the centuries, individuals bearing this name have made their mark in various fields, from astronomy and mathematics to art and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schoenfeld

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

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

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

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