Schuldes last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Schuldes

A German surname derived from the word "schuld" meaning "debt" or "guilt".

Schuldes, 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 Schuldes surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Schuldes in America

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

The Schuldes 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 Schuldes.

The history of the last name Schuldes

The surname Schuldes has its origins in Germany, specifically within the medieval Holy Roman Empire. The name is believed to have first emerged during the 12th or 13th century in regions such as Bavaria and Swabia. It is derived from the Middle High German word schulde, which means "debt" or "obligation". The suffix es indicates possession, thus Schuldes translates roughly to "of the debt" or "concerning debts".

Early references to the name can be found in legal documents and tax records from the late 13th century. One notable document is a tax register from 1295 belonging to the Bavarian town of Augsburg, in which a Heinrich Schuldes is listed. This reflects the common practice of surnames being adopted based on a person's occupation or social role, suggesting that Heinrich might have been involved in accounting or the administration of debts.

Another early record includes a 1338 manuscript from the Swabian village of Ulm, mentioning a Wilhelm Schuldes as a witness in a property dispute. The particular spelling and context in these documents show that the name was likely used by individuals who dealt with financial or legal matters, possibly as clerks or money lenders.

The name Schuldes appears in several historical texts and parish records from the 15th and 16th centuries. For example, records from the city archives of Nuremberg in 1456 note a merchant named Dietrich Schuldes, who played a significant role in regional trade. His contributions to the local economy were substantial, and his descendants continued the family business for generations.

During the Protestant Reformation, a notable figure named Johannes Schuldes (1510-1572) emerged. He was a Lutheran theologian and played a critical part in the religious debates of his time. His works and sermons were widely circulated and helped to spread Reformation ideas across southern Germany.

Another important historical figure with the surname Schuldes is Jakob Schuldes (1635-1702), a renowned jurist who served as a legal advisor to several noble families in the Rhineland. His legal opinions and writings are still studied in historical legal scholarship today.

In the 18th century, the Schuldes family name is documented in the arts. For example, Friedrich Schuldes (1734-1789) was a well-regarded composer and musician in the Bavarian court. His compositions were celebrated for their innovative melding of traditional German folk music with classical forms.

The name Schuldes persisted into the 19th century with figures like Karl Schuldes (1801-1876), a prominent journalist and editor who significantly impacted the socio-political landscape of the time through his editorials in various German newspapers.

Throughout its history, the Schuldes surname has been associated with a blend of professional roles centered around finance, legal matters, theology, and the arts. The name reflects a rich heritage connected with significant historical moments and figures across centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schuldes

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

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 Schuldes was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 99.00% 107
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
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 Schuldes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Schuldes last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 6, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/schuldes-surname-popularity/.

"Schuldes last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/schuldes-surname-popularity/. Accessed 6 August, 2025

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

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