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

Shiffman, 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 Shiffman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shiffman in America

Shiffman is the 39052nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shiffman surname appeared 564 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 Shiffman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shiffman 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 Shiffman

The surname Shiffman is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, derived from the German word "Schiff," meaning "ship," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been individuals involved in maritime professions or lived near bodies of water.

Historical records show variations in the spelling of the name, such as Schiffman, Schiffmann, and Schiffmacher, which translates to "shipbuilder." This variation in spelling was not uncommon during the Middle Ages, as standardized spelling conventions were not widely adopted until later centuries.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the Shiffman name can be found in the Städtebuch, a collection of documents dating back to the 15th century, which recorded the names of citizens in various German cities. The name appears in the records of the city of Nuremberg, indicating that members of the Shiffman family resided in this influential trading hub during the Renaissance period.

In the 17th century, the Shiffman name was associated with the town of Mindelheim, located in the Bavarian region of Swabia. Records from this era suggest that a prominent Shiffman family held influential positions within the local community, possibly as merchants or artisans.

Notable individuals with the surname Shiffman include:

1. Hans Shiffman (c. 1520 - 1595), a skilled woodcarver from Augsburg, renowned for his intricate religious sculptures adorning churches throughout Bavaria.
2. Johann Shiffman (1652 - 1718), a respected luthier (stringed instrument maker) from Nuremberg, whose violins were highly sought after by musicians across Europe.
3. Anna Shiffman (1776 - 1842), a celebrated opera singer who performed in the courts of various German principalities during the early 19th century.
4. Wilhelm Shiffman (1845 - 1923), a prominent architect whose designs contributed to the modernization of Berlin's urban landscape in the late 19th century.
5. Otto Shiffman (1892 - 1957), a renowned chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of polymer chemistry, serving as a professor at the University of Munich.

While the Shiffman name has dispersed globally over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the heartlands of Germany, where it has a long and rich history interwoven with the cultural tapestry of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shiffman

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

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

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

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