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

Shaffer, 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 Shaffer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shaffer in America

Shaffer is the 560th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shaffer surname appeared 59,943 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 20 people would have the surname Shaffer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shaffer 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 Shaffer

The surname Shaffer is of German origin, derived from the word "Schäfer," which means "shepherd" in English. It originated in the 13th century and was initially used as an occupational surname for those who worked as shepherds or tended to flocks of sheep.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Shaffer can be traced back to various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Hesse, and Saxony. In these areas, the name appeared in various forms, such as Schäfer, Schaefer, and Scheffer, reflecting regional spelling variations.

One of the earliest known references to the name Shaffer can be found in the Bremische Bürgerliste (Bremen Citizens' List) of 1289, which mentions a certain "Henricus Schäfer." This document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period.

As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way into historical records in other countries. For instance, in England, the name appeared as early as the 16th century, with instances such as John Shaffer, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1524.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who carried the surname Shaffer. One prominent figure was Jacob Shaffer (1765-1842), a German-born American pastor and missionary who played a significant role in the early Methodist movement in the United States.

Another notable Shaffer was Wilhelm Shaffer (1809-1889), a German-American businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, from 1867 to 1871. He was instrumental in the development of Baltimore's infrastructure and urban planning during his tenure.

In the realm of literature, Moses Shaffer (1835-1909) was an American writer and journalist who published several works, including "The Memoirs of a Veteran" and "The Siege of Knoxville."

The name Shaffer also gained recognition in the field of science with the contributions of Philip Shaffer (1863-1938), an American chemist and inventor who patented several processes and products, including a method for manufacturing artificial silk.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the legacy of Jack Shaffer (1921-2001), an American professional baseball player who spent more than a decade playing for various Major League Baseball teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shaffer

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

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

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

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