The origin of the proud surname Shum can be traced to the historic kingdom of Bohemia, which is now part of Czechoslovakia. In the Middle Ages, many of the Bohemian were a part of the
Holy Roman Empire, which was characterized by the
Feudal System. Before this era, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travelers set out on their journeys, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Many people, such as the Shum family, adopted the name of their
feudal occupation as their surname. However, an
occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Shum was an occupational name for a cobbler. The name Shum is derived from the Old German words "schuoch" and the suffix "mann," which means shoe maker.
Early Origins of the Shum family
The surname Shum was first found in the eastern regions of
Saxony and Bohemia, where the family was established in ancient times.
Early History of the Shum family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shum research.
Another 266 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1299, 1474, 1782, 1790, 1810, and 1856 are included under the topic Early Shum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Shum Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Schumann, Schuman, Schuhman, Schuhmann, Schuhermann, Schumacher, Shuhmacher, Schomann (northern Germany), Schomacher (northern Germany), Schomaker (northern Germany) and many more.
Early Notables of the Shum family (pre 1700)
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Shum family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Shum Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Christopher Shum, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Shum Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- George Shum, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Endymion" in 1873