Scharff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The ancestral home of the Scharff family is in the German province of Bavaria. Scharff is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a sharp or quick witted person. The name stems from the German word "scharf," meaning "sharp."

Early Origins of the Scharff family

The surname Scharff was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. Chronicles first mention Sigehard Scharf of Bavaria in 1060, and Hainrich Scharpf of Wuerttemberg in 1330. Later the various families branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Scharff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scharff research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1537, 1769, 1792, 1813 and 1851 are included under the topic Early Scharff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scharff Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Scharff include Scharff, Scharfe, Scharfer, Scharf and others.

Early Notables of the Scharff family

Prominent among members of the name Scharff in this period include

the knight Johann Nepomuk Edler von Scharff, who was Lord of Oslawan, Hoednitz and Muehlfrauen in Maehren...

Scharff Ranking

In the United States, the name Scharff is the 13,656^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Scharff migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Scharff or a variant listed above:

Scharff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Conrath Scharff, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Heinrich Scharff moved to America in 1747
Heinrich Scharff, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1747 2
Johan Christoffel Scharff, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
Johan Christoffel Scharff settled to America in 1750

Scharff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Conrad Scharff, who landed in Maryland in 1840 2
F Scharff, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2
Peter Scharff, who arrived in Mississippi in 1856 2
Nicholas Scharff, who landed in Mississippi in 1858 2
Moses Scharff, who landed in Mississippi in 1858 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Scharff (post 1700) +

Karen R. Scharff, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1988 3
Joseph H. Scharff, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Bergen County, 1909-10 3
Thomas Scharff (b. 1963), German Medieval historian
Edwin Scharff (1887-1955), German sculptor and painter, eponym of the Edwin Scharff Prize
Alexander Scharff (1904-1985), German historian
Harald Scharff (1836-1912), Danish ballet dancer
Anton Scharff (1845-1903), Austrian medal maker

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html