SCHAFER Surname Meaning and Family History

The Schà ¤fer surname and its variations such as Schaefer come from the Middle High German schà ¦fà ¦re, meaning shepherd, a derivative of schaf, meaning sheep.  See SCHAFFER for another possible origin. Schà ¤fer / Schaefer  is the 11th most common German surname. Surname Origin: German, Jewish Alternate Surname Spellings:  SCHAEFER, SCHAF, SCHAAP, SCHAEFFER, SHAVER, SCHEFFER, SCHAFFER Famous People With the SCHAFER  / SCHAEFER Surname Arnold  Schà ¤fer  - German historianWill Schaefer  - American composerPierre Schaeffer -  French composer, writer, broadcaster, and engineerEdward Albert Sharpey-Shafer (born  Edward Albert Schà ¤fer) - English physiologistTim Shafer - American computer game designer Where Is the SCHÄFER Surname Most Common? According to surname distribution from Forebears, the  Schà ¤fer surname is most common in Germany, ranking as the countrys 72nd most common surname. The alternate spelling of Shaefer is even more common, coming in at 57th.  WorldNames PublicProfiler, which combines data on the surname under the Shaefer spelling (the  Ãƒ ¤ umlaut converts to ae),  indicates the surname is very prevalent throughout Germany, especially the southern half of the country in states such as Hessen,  Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz, Baden Wà ¼rttemberg and  Nordrhein-Westfalen. Surname maps from Verwandt.de indicate the  Schà ¤fer last name is most common in western Germany, especially in the counties or cities of Berlin, Lahn-Dill-Kreis,  Kà ¶ln,  Gießen,  Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Mayen-Koblenz, Frankfurt am Main and Wetteraukreis. Genealogy Resources for the Surname SCHÄFER Meanings of Common German SurnamesUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames. Schafer  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schafer  family crest or coat of arms for the Schaefer surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Schaffer  DNA  Surname ProjectIndividuals with the Schaffer  surname, and variations such as Schaefer, Schaeffer, Schafer, Schaffler, Shafer, Shaffer, Shaver and Sheaffer, are invited to participate in this group DNA project in an attempt to learn more about Schaffer family origins. The website includes information on the project, the research done to date, and instructions on how to participate. SCHAFER  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Schafer  ancestors around the world. FamilySearch - SCHAFER  GenealogyExplore over 3.7  million results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Schafer surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. SCHAFER  Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Schafer  surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - SCHAFER  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schafer. GeneaNet - Schafer  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schafer  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Schafer  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Schafer  surname from the website of Genealogy Today. References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.