Surname Schäfle - Meaning and Origin
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Schäfle: What does the surname Schäfle mean?
The German surname Schäfle (also spelled Schaefle or Scheifel) is derived from the Middle High German word "scafal," meaning shepherd. It is a common occupational surname, which means that it was used to describe someone who was a shepherd by profession. It was most likely adopted by someone who owned or managed a flock of sheep, perhaps someone who lived in the Alpine Park of Germany or Austria.
In modern German, the last name Schäfle is still used to identify someone who is a shepherd. Additionally, the last name could be given to the descendant or relative of someone who was a shepherd in the past. It is often found in Catholic regions, where many families still live in rural areas and tend to animals for a living.
The last name Schäfle is not an especially common one, but it is subsequently found throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In the United States, it can also be found in the states with large German immigrant populations like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
The Schäfle name has a long and storied history in the German speaking regions of the world, representing tradition, family, and hard work. It is a reminder of the generations of shepherds and their families who raised and tended animals and provided for their communities, and will remain a part of the family heritage for many more generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisSchäfle: Where does the name Schäfle come from?
The last name Schäfle is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is a very common last name in these areas, ranking among the top 1000 last names in Germany and Austria since the 19th century. It may be derived from a diminutive of the Germanic name “Schaf”, meaning “sheep”, which indicates its original bearer and their association with herding sheep.
The spelling of Schäfle throughout Central Europe follows the standard orthography rules (Fraktur or Gothic script) of the countries where it is found; thus in German-speaking countries it is spelled with “ä”, while in Austria and Switzerland it has a “ae” spelling; and in Liechtenstein, some families use a “äu” spelling variant.
Schäfle can also be found in some parts of the United States, particularly in states settled by German immigrants in the 1800s, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. There, the “ae” spelling variant is common. A smaller number of families with this last name live in a handful of other countries, such as France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Brazil.
In sum, the last name Schäfle is quite widespread today, found among both German-speaking and other populations in Europe and the United States, with a few families with this last name living elsewhere in the world.
Variations of the surname Schäfle
The surname Schäfle, sometimes also spelled Schaefle, is of German origin. It is derived from a nickname for someone who was a shepherd or a nickname for one of the many people who worked with sheep. Examples of similarly spelled surnames are Schäfer, Schaffel, Schaeffer, and Schaffell.
Variants of the surname Schäfle include Schaffle, Schaefle, Schafle, Schaefli, Schaeffler, Schäfler, Schaffele, Schaffler, Schaevele, and Schävle. These surnames derive from the same root, but are spelled slightly differently due to regional and dialectal variations.
Other spellings and variants that are from the same origin include Schaible, Schäbili, Schabill, Schaebeli, Schübile, Schüebile, Scheebel, Schebel, Scheefle, Scheefli, Scheigel, Scheiffle, Scheiffli, Schell, and Seifl.
Additionally, some Americanized forms of the surname Schäfle include Schaffle, Schofle, Shaflein, and Shafler.
There are several alternative surnames of the same origin, all of which follow similar spelling patterns. Examples include Schäffer, Schafman, Schafheimer, Schafler, Schãfer, Schaeflein, Schaffner, Schafflip, Schapy, Schofry, Schofield, Schoeler, Schorle, and Schorno.
In summary, the surname Schäfle has many variants and spellings, and can be found in many different languages and dialects. All of these surnames are ultimately derived from the same origin, which is a German nickname for someone who was a shepherd.
Famous people with the name Schäfle
- Brigitte Schäfle, German former politician and trade unionist
- Hans Schäfer, German footballer
- Sybille Schäfer, German model and actress
- Xavier Schäfer, German classical music conductor
- Martin Schäfer, German former footballer
- Holger Schäfer, German biathlete
- Joseph Schäfle, German missionary to Tibet and Roman Catholic priest
- Rudolf Schäfle, German actor
- Brigitte Schäfer, German former politician and trade unionist
- Thomas Schäfer, German politician
- Matthias Schäfer, German law professor
- Christoph Schäfer, German athlete
- Johanna Schäfer, German athlete
- Leonard Schäfle, German table tennis player
- Ludwig Schäfer, German actor
- Barbara Schäfer, German swimmer
- Rainer Schäfer, German footballer
- Karl Schäffer, German politician and pastor
- Markus Schäfle, German actor
- Thomas Schäfle, German footballer