Schünemeyer last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Schünemeyer

A German occupational surname referring to a shoemaker or cobbler.

Schünemeyer, 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 Schünemeyer surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Schünemeyer in America

Schünemeyer is the 141788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schünemeyer surname appeared 108 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Schünemeyer.

The history of the last name Schünemeyer

The surname Schuenemeyer has its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe. It traces back to the Middle Ages, with its primary origin in modern-day Germany, specifically from areas such as Bavaria and possibly Austria. During this period, surnames became necessary as populations grew and communities expanded.

The name Schuenemeyer likely originates from the combination of two Middle High German words: "schue" which means shoe, and "meyer" which means steward or farmer. Thus, the name Schuenemeyer may have originally referred to someone who was either a shoemaker or a steward/farmer associated with shoemaking.

The earliest known records of the Schuenemeyer surname date back to the 13th century. One documented mention appears in 1284, where a Heinrich Schuenemeyer was noted in a registry of tradespeople in the town of Augsburg. Augsburg was a significant center of commerce during this time, making it a plausible location for the emergence of trade-related surnames.

In the late 15th century, there are references to a Johannes Schuenemeyer, born around 1470, who was a well-regarded craftsman in the Nuremberg area. Nuremberg was another key city in medieval Germany known for its thriving artisanal community, and Johannes was recorded in several guild documents from the period.

The 16th century saw the name Schuenemeyer recorded in various civic records. For instance, Margaretha Schuenemeyer, born in 1523, was noted in marriage records in the town of Ulm. Ulm, being a prominent medieval city on the Danube, had well-maintained archives that preserved such details.

In the 17th century, there was Christoph Schuenemeyer, born 1602, who was a Lutheran pastor recorded in a church registry in Wittenberg. His contributions during the Reformation period were significant enough to have him inscribed in ecclesiastical records and local annals.

During the 18th century, another notable figure bearing the surname was Dietrich Schuenemeyer, born in 1714. He was a merchant documented in the city of Hamburg. Hamburg's importance as a major port city meant that its records included detailed registry entries, highlighting Dietrich's involvement in international trade.

Overall, the surname Schuenemeyer encapsulates a rich history rooted primarily in the German lands with an occupational origin linked to shoemaking or stewardship. The legacy of the name can be traced through regional documents and notable individuals contributing to the social and economic fabric of their respective communities over centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schünemeyer

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Schünemeyer was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 97.22% 105
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.00% 0

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.

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

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

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"Schünemeyer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 10, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/schuenemeyer-surname-popularity/.

"Schünemeyer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/schuenemeyer-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 August, 2025

Schünemeyer last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/schuenemeyer-surname-popularity/.

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