First found in the Palatinate, in the south of Germany, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the growth of the nation.

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Taylor were among of the early German families that came to North America: Bernard Schneider, who emigrated with his wife and three children to America in 1709; Wilhelm Schneider arrived in New York State in 1710. Among the over one hundred Schneiders who came to Philadelphia in the 18th century we found: Christian Schneider in 1729.

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