Show ContentsShrum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Shrum. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known in Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Shrum family.

Early Origins of the Shrum family

The surname Shrum was first found in Prussia and Silesia, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of these regions which were settled by many German tribes. They emerged to form alliances with other families within the feudal system.

Early History of the Shrum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shrum research. Another 180 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1808, 1813, 1817, 1841, 1850 and 1893 are included under the topic Early Shrum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shrum Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Shrum include Schramme, Schram, Schramke (southern Germany) and many more.

Early Notables of the Shrum family

More information is included under the topic Early Shrum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shrum Ranking

In the United States, the name Shrum is the 6,104th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1]


United States Shrum migration to the United States +

Since medieval times, the state of Prussia has played an important part in the history of Germany. The state's military powers were historically very strong, and endured until after the Second World War, when the territory was broken up and divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. A spurt of migration followed, with some Prussians going elsewhere in Europe and many others crossing the ocean to North America. Most entered the United States through Philadelphia. Some remained there, while more moved on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others traveled to Canada and settled Ontario and the prairie provinces. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Shrum or a variant listed above:

Shrum Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Annie Shrum, aged 17, originally from Halifax, N.S., who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Rosalind" from Halifax, England [2]
  • Anna Shrum, aged 21, arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "Silvia" from Halifax, England [2]
  • James H. Shrum, aged 49, who arrived in City Island, N. Y. in 1924 aboard the ship "Canada" from Halifax, Nova Scotia [2]

Halifax Explosion
  • Mrs. Mary  Shrum (1853-1917), Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries [3]
  • Mr. Charles William  Shrum (1876-1917), Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) [3]
  • Mrs. Edith  Shrum (1895-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) [3]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  3. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance


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