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

Schroff, 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 Schroff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schroff in America

Schroff is the 46811th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schroff surname appeared 454 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 Schroff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schroff 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 Schroff

The surname Schroff has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "schrof," which means a steep rock or cliff. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or on a steep cliff or rocky area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Schroff can be found in the records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, Germany, where a person named Hans Schroff was mentioned in 1523. Another early reference is from the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Lorenz Schroff was recorded in 1546.

In the 17th century, the surname Schroff appears in various historical documents across different regions of Germany. For instance, a record from 1612 mentions a Peter Schroff in the town of Ehingen, located in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg. In 1642, a Johann Schroff was recorded in the city of Hamburg.

The surname Schroff has also been connected to several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Johann Philipp Schroff (1668-1737), a German physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of medicinal plants and their uses.

Another prominent figure was Johann Heinrich Schroff (1752-1826), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Helmstedt. His works focused on the reconciliation of reason and faith, and he was influential in the field of Protestant theology.

In the 19th century, Carl Schroff (1807-1886) was a German chemist and pharmacist who made important discoveries in the field of alkaloid chemistry. He was particularly known for his research on the alkaloids found in opium and their potential medicinal applications.

It is worth noting that the surname Schroff has also been present in other parts of Europe, such as Switzerland and Austria, likely due to migration patterns and the spread of German influence. However, its origins can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of present-day Germany.

While the surname Schroff may have evolved in its spelling over time, its fundamental connection to the Middle High German word "schrof" and its association with steep rocky areas has remained a consistent thread throughout its history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schroff

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

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

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

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