Schumacher
An occupational surname referring to a shoemaker, derived from the German words "Schuh" (shoe) and "macher" (maker).
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 29,374 Americans carry the last name Schumacher. That puts it at #1,404 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 8.57 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 11,669 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schumacher surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
29K
1 in 11,669
Census rank
#1,404
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
8.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
25K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 25,292 bearers of the surname Schumacher in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 8.57 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1404th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schumacher, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schumacher
The surname SCHUMACHER is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "schuochmacher" or "schuochmachære," which means "shoemaker" or "cobbler." This occupational surname dates back to the 12th century and was initially given to individuals who made or repaired shoes for a living.
The name SCHUMACHER can be traced back to various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. It was a common surname among the craftsmen and artisans who lived in medieval towns and cities. As the guild system developed, surnames like SCHUMACHER became more prevalent, indicating an individual's trade or occupation.
Historical records show that the surname SCHUMACHER appeared in various documents and manuscripts throughout the Middle Ages. For example, the surname is mentioned in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of Saxon charters and documents dating back to the 13th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SCHUMACHER can be found in the Liber Censualis, a tax record compiled in the city of Nuremberg in 1497. In this document, a certain Hanns SCHUMACHER is listed as a resident of the city.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname SCHUMACHER. Here are a few examples:
1. Johannes SCHUMACHER (c. 1480 - c. 1550), a German humanist scholar and writer from Augsburg.
2. Heinrich SCHUMACHER (1675 - 1758), a German architect and military engineer who designed fortifications in Kassel and Mainz.
3. Johann David SCHUMACHER (1690 - 1761), a German astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of comets.
4. Karl Friedrich SCHUMACHER (1796 - 1868), a German astronomer and director of the Altona Observatory, known for his work on stellar parallax and double stars.
5. Ernst SCHUMACHER (1911 - 1977), a German-British economist and philosopher, best known for his book "Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered."
The surname SCHUMACHER has also been associated with various place names and older spellings of toponyms. For instance, the town of Schuhmacher in Saxony, Germany, likely derived its name from the occupation of its early inhabitants as shoemakers or cobblers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schumacher
Among Census respondents with the surname Schumacher, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Schumacher bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Schumacher surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7%
- Hispanic or Latino1.7%
- Two or more races1.3%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4%
- Black or African American0.3%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Schumacher surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,404 | #1,404 | 0.0% |
| Count | 25,292 | 25,292 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 8.57 | 8.57 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Schumacher bearers went from 25,292 to 25,292 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #1,404 to #1,404.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Schumacher
FAQ
Schumacher surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Schumacher?
The surname Schumacher holds position #1,404 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 29,374 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 8.57 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Schumacher surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schumacher, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.