Surname Schaufelein - Meaning and Origin
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Schaufelein: What does the surname Schaufelein mean?
The last name Schaufelein is derived from an old German word meaning “little shopkeeper.” It is thought to have first been used as a surname by a small storekeeper in what was then the Holy Roman Empire. The name was likely first seen in the 13th century and is recorded in various versions in several regions throughout Central Europe.
The prefix Schaufe- suggests an occupational origin, suggesting that the first person to take the surname Schaufelein was likely a shopkeeper. To identify shopkeepers and possibly traders, the name may have been used as an occupational surname. Historically, Schaufelein was used in the region of present-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The name Schaufelein has since evolved to include several different versions of the name, such as Schaufelin, Schauffelin, Schaufel, Schufflein, Schuffel, and Schuflein. This indicates that the initial meaning has been changed and expanded over the centuries. Beyond being an occupational surname, the name is now thought to hold a meaning of ‘small shopkeeper’ or ‘little shopkeeper’.
As an occupational surname, Schaufelein is still present in German-speaking countries and elsewhere, but its roots of the small shopkeeper has given it many different titles over time. The original meaning of the surname has been kept alive, however, by the people that bear this surname and the various cultures that have adopted it.
Order DNA origin analysisSchaufelein: Where does the name Schaufelein come from?
The last name Schaufelein is a German surname of Germanic origin which can be found today throughout Germany, Austria and other countries where Germanic settlements once flourished. It is most commonly located in the states of Saxony and Bavaria where 17th century German immigrants brought the name with them to regions where they would settle and create thriving communities.
This name is also common in the United States where the Schenfelein variation of the name can be found in unexpectedly large numbers in the country, particularly in regions with longstanding German or Germanic history such as Pennsylvania and Michigan. It is believed that the Schaufelein name and its variations succeeded through migration and naturalization of German immigrants who left their homeland for a new start in the U.S. in the early 19th century.
Today, the Schaufelein last name appears in numerous European countries, including Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria. There are also many descendants of Schaufelein who have spread across North and South America, including Brazil, Argentina and England. With name variants such as Schaaf, Schauf and Schaaflein, the surname is widespread and surprisingly central to many different families around the world.
Variations of the surname Schaufelein
Schaufelein is a surname of German origin and is not very common. There are some known variants of this name, such as Schauflein, Schauffelein, Schuffelein, and Schoffelein. This surname is sometimes found spelled with the added letter 'e' at the end.
The various spellings of the surname can be attributed to the fact that in the past, the language was not standardized and different dialects and pronunciations of a word could be found in different parts of the country. Furthermore, during the 17th and 18th centuries, German was spoken as a spoken language but written in Latin, resulting in a multitude of spellings for the same name.
Schaufelein is derived from the Middle High German word "schoff" meaning shoemaker. As such, it was likely an occupational name used to denote an individual or family who made shoes.
Surnames of the same origin include Schoffel, Schouffel, Schouflein, Schowflein, Schouffle, Schoffler, and Schuffler. These surnames are variant spellings and have the same meaning, shoemaker, although they are pronounced differently.
In summary, Schaufelein is a surname of German origin which probably meant shoemaker. Variants and spellings of this name, as well as surnames of the same origin, result from dialectical and spelling differences and the fact that German was spoken but written in Latin.
Famous people with the name Schaufelein
- Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), German painter and printmaker.
- Paul Schaufelein (1558–1620), German painter.
- Johann Schaufelein (1505-1581), German painter and sculptor.
- Katarzyna Schaufelein (1537-1586) German painter.
- Roland Schaufelein (fl. 1503–1530), German painter.
- Daniel Schaufelein (1505-1576 or after 1576), German painter and engraver.
- Barbara Schaufelein (fl. 1608–17th century), German painter and printmaker.
- Johann Georg Schaufelein (1582-1644), German painter and etcher.
- Martin Schaufelein (1550–1616), German sculptor.
- Erasmus Schaufelein (1568-1629 or after 1629), German Renaissance painter and decorator.