Schnitzer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The Schnitzer surname is derived from the Upper German word "schnitz," and refers to someone who cuts or carves wood. Thus the name was originally occupational before it came to be a family surname.

Early Origins of the Schnitzer family

The surname Schnitzer was first found in Breslau, where there is a record of the name from 1360. The Schnitzer surname may well have emerged independently in several regions, as evidenced by records of Eberhart der Snezzer von Waldshut in Aargau, Switzerland in 1255; Hainr. and Liutoldus fratus dictus Snezzerli who was recorded as citizens of Meersburg (Baden-Württemberg) in 1295; and Bert. dictus Snitzer, from Swabia who was mentioned in records from 1285.

Early History of the Schnitzer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schnitzer research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1357, 1373, 1382, 1435, 1599, 1653 and 1802 are included under the topic Early Schnitzer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schnitzer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Schnitz, Schnitzler, Schnitzer, Schnitzlein, Schnitzspahn, Schnetz, Schnetzer and many more.

Early Notables of the Schnitzer family

Notable figures of the time with the name Schnitzer were

bearers of the various spellings of this name, who were ennobled, such as Henry Salis Schnitzer, Bavarian royalty

Schnitzer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Schnitzer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Frederick Schnitzer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 1
George Schnitzer, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 1

Schnitzer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Valentin Schnitzer, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1857 1

Schnitzer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Albert Schnitzer, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 1
George Henry Schnitzer, who landed in Arkansas in 1906 1
Joseph Schnitzer, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 1
Raymond Schnitzer, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Schnitzer (post 1700) +

Arlene Schnitzer (1929-2020), née Director, an American arts patron and philanthropist
Joseph Albert Schnitzer, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Fort Smith, Arkansas, 1944-54, 1964-65 (acting, 1944-45, 1964-65) 2
Werner Schnitzer (b. 1942), German television actor
Josef Schnitzer, German racedriver and co-founder of Schnitzer Motorsport
Herbert Schnitzer, German, owner and co-founder of Schnitzer Motorsport
Eduard Schnitzer (1840-1892), Silesian physician, naturalist and governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria on the upper Nile

Citations +

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, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html