Surname Schaepers - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Schaepers: What does the surname Schaepers mean?
Schaepers is a Dutch and Belgian surname derived from the old Dutch word "schapen", meaning "shepherd". The first record of the Schaepers family dates back to 1292 in the Dutch municipality of Twente, when a man named Willem Schaepers is mentioned in written records. The name could also be derived from the Dutch phrase "van den schapen" which means "of the sheep".
The Schaepers family is believed to have been involved in agriculture and the wool trade. This family played a prominent role in local politics in Twente and the surrounding region. This family was also known to have served as royal servants in the nobility of Twente.
The surname Schaepers has undergone many spelling variations - such as Schhaps, Scheeppers, Neander, Schapers, Schappens, Scheepsers and Schappes - over the years. It is believed that the Schaepers family originated from the Netherlands, although it is quite likely that some family members migrated from France or Germany later on.
The Schaepers family is a distinguished one with a proud history. Throughout centuries of progressive growth, the Schaepers family has displayed traits of leadership, resilience, and creativity. Even today, descendants of the Schaepers family are highly successful individuals in many fields.
Order DNA origin analysisSchaepers: Where does the name Schaepers come from?
The last name Schaepers is most commonly found in western Europe today, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. This surname is derived from the German occupation name Schaefer, a term which referred to someone who worked in forestry, especially as a shepherd or game warden.
In Germany, the name has two common origins. In the northern parts of Germany, it comes from the name Schaefer, which originated in the area today known as Schleswig-Holstein. In southern Germany, the name is derived from the Old High German word “scobero,” which translates to English as "Shepherd."
Schaepers is also one of the most common surnames in the Netherlands, where it originated in the Middle Ages. The most popular theory is that the name comes from a French family who had migrated to the Netherlands during this time.
In Belgium, the surname is mostly concentrated in the Flanders region and is believed to be a shortened version of the Dutch surname Schaepers. It has been established that two people with the last name Schaepers were living in Flanders in 1445.
Today, individuals bearing the name Schaepers are likely to be found in any of the above-mentioned countries. Although there are some occurrences outside of Europe, individuals with the last name Schaepers are mainly concentrated in western Europe.
Variations of the surname Schaepers
The surname Schaepers is a German surname that comes from the Middle High German word ‘schaf’ which means ‘sheep’ and the word ‘prahs’ which is a dialectal form of the word ‘par’ which means ‘to protect’. Thus, the surname Schaepers essentially means ‘one who protects the sheep’. This surname is also found in Dutch and Afrikaans and may be spelled differently in each of these languages.
In Dutch, the surname may be spelled as Schaepers, Schaepherz, Schaepkers, Schaepkens, Schaepking, Schaepke, Schaapherd, Schaeffers, Schaapenaar, Schabenhaar, Schaeffenhaar, Schafbaur, Schafbauers, Schafbauer, Schawanfelder, and Schaff·aiher.
In Afrikaans, the surname may be spelled as Schaafers, Schaeffers, Schaepers, Schašjpers, Schafer, Schaffers, Schafer, Schufers, Schaffers, Schoffers, Schiepers, and Schippenhaar.
These variant spellings and surnames are all derived from the same German origin and the same meaning.
Famous people with the name Schaepers
- Olivier Schaepers: Belgian taekwondo competitor, championship and European medalist
- Neil Schaepers: Australian sport climber, world championships participant
- Ulli Schaepers: German racing cyclist, winner of multiple stages in the Tour de France
- Guillaume Schaepers: French footballer, plays in the Ligue 2
- Victor Schaepers: Dutch actor, known for his roles in movies such as Loft and Suzy Q
- Eelco Schaepers: Dutch film director, winner of the Cannes Palme d'Or
- Anne Schaepers: Dutch professor of psychology and organisational behaviour
- Bart Schaepers: Belgian singer and songwriter
- Peter Schaepers: Dutch actor, known for his roles in The Dollars Trilogy, The Vanishing and other films
- Tieneke Schaepers: Dutch author, winner of the The Woutertje Pieterse Prize