Contents [hide]

Schäfer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Schäfer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The distinguished surname Schäfer is German in origin. It is derived from the Middle High German term "schaffaere," which referred to a shepherd, one who took care of sheep. 1 Alternatively, the name could have been derived from an German occupational name for someone "who made casks and barrels, a cooper." 2

Early Origins of the Schäfer family

The surname Schäfer was first found in Hessen, where the name was closely identified in early medieval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Schäfer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schäfer research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1425, 1451, 1503, 1569, 1624, 1653, 1677, 1699, 1756, 1787 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Schäfer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schäfer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Schaeffers, Schaefer, Scheaffer, Schaefers, Schaffer, Schafer, Shaeffer, Schefer, Shaefer and many more.

Early Notables of the Schäfer family

Prominent figures of the time who bore the name Schäfer were Peter Schöffer (c.1425-c.1503), an early German printer, and worked as a manuscript copyist in 1451. Angelus Silesius or Johann Angelus Silesius (1624-1677), born Johann Scheffler, was a German Catholic priest and physician. He was known as a mystic and religious poet, born and raised a Lutheran. In 1653, he adopted the name Angelus (Latin for "angel" or "heavenly messenger") and the epithet Silesius ("Silesian") and converted to Catholicism. As a convert and priest, he tried to convince German Protestants...
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Schäfer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schäfer Ranking

In the United States, the name Schäfer is the 1,620^th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Schäfer is ranked the 8,392^nd most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 4

Schäfer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Schäfer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Enners Schafer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1709 5
Hans Schafer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1709 5
Hans Georg Schafer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1709 5
Hans Schafer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1709 5
Hans Georg Schafer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1709 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Schäfer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gottfd Schafer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1800 5
Barbara Schafer, who landed in Westfield, NY in 1800 5
Conrad Schafer, aged 31, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 5
F Schafer, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 5
Friedr Schafer, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Schäfer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Schäfer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

W. Schafer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Steinwaerder" 6

Schäfer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Schäfer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Carl Schafer, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840

Contemporary Notables of the name Schäfer (post 1700) +

Ronald Schafer (b. 1938), American electrical engineer notable for his contributions to digital signal processing
Roy Schafer (b. 1922), American psychologist and psychoanalyst
Harold Schafer (1912-2001), North Dakota businessman who founded the Gold Seal Company
Hans Schäfer (1927-2017), German footballer who played as a left winger, Member of the West Germany National Team (1952-1962)
Hans-Bernd Schäfer (b. 1943), German economist and a pioneer in the field of law and economics
Ernst Schäfer (1910-1992), German hunter and zoologist in the 1930s, specializing in ornithology
Gustav Schäfer (1906-1991), German rower who won gold in the 1936 Summer Olympics
Wilhelm Schäfer (1868-1952), German Naturalist writer and magazine publisher
Raymond Murray Schafer CC (1933-2021), Canadian composer, writer, music educator, and environmentalist perhaps best known for his World Soundscape Project, the first recipient of the Jules Léger Prize in 1978
Arthur Schafer (b. 1942), Canadian ethicist specializing in bioethics, philosophy of law, social philosophy and political philosophy
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Schäfer family +

Bismarck

Kurt Schäfer (1919-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 7
Ernst Schäfer (1920-1984), German Maschinengefreiter serving aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he survived the sinking 7
Erich Schäfer (1920-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 7
Erhard Schäfer (1921-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 7
Burghard Schäfer (1922-1941), German Matrose who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 7

USS Arizona

Mr. Herman L. Schafer Jr., American Ensign working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 8

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEINWARDER 1849 aka STEINWAERDER. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Steinwarder.htm
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html