Surname Schary - Meaning and Origin
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Schary: What does the surname Schary mean?
The last name Schary originates from the German-Jewish surname Schay or Schai, which is derived from the Hebrew word “Schoah” – meaning “teacher”. This name was likely used to identify individuals who were teachers, rabbis, or other religious leaders within the Jewish community.
The surname Schary was likely adopted by the Jews who lived in Germany during the pre-Christian era. It is likely derived from either the German or Yiddish terms “Schar” or “Schayer” meaning a “scholar, teacher, or rabbi”, and “Schuerer” meaning “teacher”.
Today, the surname Schary can still be found amongst Jewish communities all over the world. It is a testament to the strong sense of heritage they maintain, as they identify with their past teacher and scholars.
Schary is also a reminder of the resilience shown by the Jewish community, as individuals have taken their surnames across centuries and across the world to find freedom and a better life. While the origin of the surname Schary is still uncertain, it is certainly an important part of Jewish identity and culture.
Order DNA origin analysisSchary: Where does the name Schary come from?
Schary is a common last name today, mostly in Europe. It is especially popular in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. Additionally, Schary is found in some Jewish communities around the world, as it was a popular Ashkenazi Jewish surname.
In Germany, Schary has been present for centuries. It can be found in old regional archives dating back to the 1300s. It is also quite common in some towns of the Traunstein district, such as Oberteisendorf, Golling an der Salzach, and Marquartstein.
In the Netherlands, Schary is quite widely spread, with over four thousand people registered with that surname in the Netherlands as of 2020. In the Netherlands, Schary is widely found in the province of North Holland particularly in Amsterdam and Staatsburg.
Austria is another country where the surname Schary is quite common among the locals. Most who hold this name migrated to the country from other parts of Austria. The highest concentration of people with this surname is in Vienna and Styria.
Outside of Europe, the highest concentration of Scharys is in the United States, mainly in New England. Other places they are present include Canada, Mexico, Israel, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The prevalence of the surname in those countries varies widely, ranging from quite common to rare.
Variations of the surname Schary
The surname Schary has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the variations that have been recorded include: Schairer, Scharer, Schärer, Schaer, Shearee, Schaerre, Shearer, Sheary, Sherrey, Scherree, Scherrey, Schwary, Schwairer, Schwärer, Schere, and Scher.
The surname Schary is believed to be of Germanic origin and likely derived from the pre-7th century word "scherere" meaning ‘shearer’ or "scherere" meaning ‘scytheman’. During the Middle Ages, it was not unusual for a name to be recorded in many different ways. Some of the spellings that exist today were a result of literal translations or translations of a particular dialect.
The variants of the same origin include Sherer, Shryer, Shryer, Shirer, Schierer and Shary. These different spellings appeared in the United States during the 19th century when large numbers of German immigrants arrived between 1840 and 1920. Many people of German origin dropped the ‘e’ from Schary to form the Schary spelling.
Other surnames of similar origin but with different spellings include: Schuhrer, Shuerer, Schraeder, Schreeder, Sheely, Schroyer, and Schrock.
The spelling differences of this surname resulted in many distinctively different surnames being created. Despite the variation in spelling, the various spellings of Schary are all believed to have the same origin and to stem from the pre-sixth century Anglo-Saxon culture. Today, people having this surname continue to uphold its long-established roots.
Famous people with the name Schary
- Dore Schary: Dore Schary was an American screenwriter, playwright, producer and director. He is best known for his work as a film producer and executive at RKO and MGM, during which time he produced such classic films as Life With Father and Brigadoon, for which he won an Academy Award.
- Zach Schary: Zach Schary is an American professional street skateboarder from California, USA. He is known for his speed and aggressive tech-styled skating.
- Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz: Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, also known as Adin Even Yisrael, was a renowned Israeli Talmudic scholar, rabbi, and philosopher. He was an expert on Jewish law and authored more than 60 works covering the entire spectrum of Jewish thought.
- Dave Schary: Dave Schary was an American film actor. He is best known for his role as “Hank” in the 1944 classic film Life With Father.
- Joy Schary: Joy Schary is an Australian artist, designer, eco-artist and environmental architect. She is known for creating unique designed artworks using recycled materials which are found in nature.
- Edward Schary: Edward Schary was an American book editor and author. He was a long-time editor of Random House, and also wrote for various publications including the New Yorker and the New Republic.