Surname Schaerf - Meaning and Origin
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Schaerf: What does the surname Schaerf mean?
The surname Schaerf is of German origin and is derived from the Old German words “scharf” or “scherf”, meaning sharp or keen. The name may have referred to an individual who was sharp-minded or capable in some way which distinguished them from the other members of the community. Alternatively, it may have indicated a person who was physically sharp or well-engaged in a particular activity, such as a tailor or a hunter.
The Schaerf surname is found mainly in Germany and it can also be spelled as Schärf, Scharff, Scherf and Scherff. It's also found in Jewish families where it may have been adopted by those who adopted the German language later in life.
In the US, the surname was first recorded in the mid-19th century, and it's believed to be related to the German word for furrier, Schärften, suggesting that the bearer was engaged in fur trading.
Since its introduction into the US, the surname has spread throughout the country and is now found in large numbers across the Midwest, Pennsylvania, and New England. It remains strong in old German communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Today, people with the last name Schaerf may have a variety of occupations, from criminal justice to business to the arts and are as diverse as the general population. The Schaerf name today is an enduring tribute to the forebears of German descent who first came to the US many years ago.
Order DNA origin analysisSchaerf: Where does the name Schaerf come from?
The last name Schaerf is primarily associated with Germany and Austria. It is most commonly found in Bavaria, a state in the southeast region of Germany. There is also a concentration of families with the name Schaerf living in Austria. The name began as an occupational name derived from the German word schärf, which means "sharp." Those who bore the last name may have originally been sharpening tools as a trade.
The name is also found in the United States and Canada. The first immigrants bearing the name Schaerf arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though the name was fairly uncommon at first, it has become more prevalent in the years since. Census data from the United States reveals that the number of people with the last name Schaerf is currently on the rise.
The name Schaerf is also found in other parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and some Latin American countries such as Chile and Brazil. Despite its global reach, however, it is still most commonly found in Germany and Austria.
Variations of the surname Schaerf
Schaerf is a German and Dutch surname which is derived from the Middle High German words scharf meaning "sharply" or "keenly". It is a topographic name for someone who lived on a sharp or steep landform or a habitational name for someone who came from a place named with such a term.
Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Schaerf include Shear, Sheer, Schaeffer, Schaefer, Schäfer, Schaf, Shafer, Schaff, Schafft, Schaft, Schait, Schaeffer, Schefur, Scherf, and Schurf.
In Germany, the Schaerf surname has mainly been found in the Rhineland and Westphalia regions. In the Netherlands and its former colonies such as South Africa, the Netherlands Antilles, and Suriname, the Schaerf surname is mainly associated with the Dutch cultures of the regions.
Among different national groups and in other countries such as the United States, the Schaerf surname is typically modified into the more common spelling of Shear, Sheer, Schaeffer, Schaefer, or Schäfer. This may have been done over time as portions of populations immigrated to new countries or as their names were inadvertently modified as they traveled.
In some regions of the world, the Schaerf surname is still extremely uncommon. In the United States, for example, records of a Schaerf or Shear family are very limited, and the spelling of the surname is often not used. Despite this, many descendants today of German immigrants carrying the Schaerf surname still proudly retain their heritage.
Famous people with the name Schaerf
- Ron Schaerf: is an American politician who served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000.
- Christian Schaerf: is an Austrian footballer who plays for FC Blau-Weiß Linz as a defender.
- Stefan Schaerf: is an Austrian-born Canadian composer and electronic musician.
- Georg Schaerf: was an Austrian journalist and historian who co-authored the “Geschichte der Österreichischen Monarchie” (History of the Austrian Monarchy).
- Thomas Schaerf: is a Swiss geographer and professor of geography at the University of Basel.
- Gert Schaerf: is a German computer scientist and professor at the University of Hamburg.
- William Schaerf: is an American politician and former mayor of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
- Dieter Schaerf: is a German film producer and founder of the independent film production company Internovision.
- Leslie Schaerf: is an American artist known for her abstract expressionist paintings.
- Leo Schaerf: is a Swiss-American businessman who has served as the Chairman & CEO of the UET Corporation.