Surname Scheifelin - Meaning and Origin
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Scheifelin: What does the surname Scheifelin mean?
The last name Scheifelin is a Germanic surname derived from the Middle High German "Scheifele," meaning "someone from Shefele," which likely references the town of Scheifele in Saxony, Germany. The suffix -in is a diminutive form often used to indicate a person or family from a particular place.
In some cases, Scheifelin may be a habitational name derived from the Middle High German words "schef," meaning "raft" or "barge," and "lin" meaning "lake." This could refer to people who resided on or near a lake, navigated the waters, or worked in some kind of raft or barge industry.
Most people with this name are likely descendants of German-speaking peoples who lived in the northern part of modern Germany. In the early 19th century, many people with the Scheifelin family name were founding members of the Lutheran Church.
As of 2019, Scheifelin remains a relatively uncommon last name. Due to the Germanic origins, it is found in countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as countries around the world with German immigrant populations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisScheifelin: Where does the name Scheifelin come from?
The last name Scheifelin is most commonly found in Europe, particularly Germany, where it is one of the top 500 surnames. It is also found in other countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic.
The surname is thought to be derived from the Middle High German words "scheif" (slanting or sloping) and "elin" (swamp). This suggests a possible locational origin, describing a sloping or slanted area of marshland.
In Germany, the areas of Frankfurt, Biebrich and Mainz are associated with the Scheifelin surname. Records from the 13th century in Mainz suggest that various individuals with the surname were armours, gate-keepers, merchants and owners of small businesses.
In the 1800s and 1900s, the number of Scheifelin in Germany increased. Spelling variations such as Schiefelin, Schiefling, Schiefel and Scheifeling were also seen. Many migrated beyond the borders of Germany, and some emigrated to the United States and Australia. There are still Scheifelin families in some U.S. states today, particularly Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Variations of the surname Scheifelin
The surname Scheifelin has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames with the same origin. The most common variants of the surname include Scheifeline, Scheifeleine, Schiffelin, Schiffling, Schifele, Schifeler, Schifel and Schifelin.
The origin of the surname Scheifelin is believed to be Germanic, stemming from the Middle High German word “scheifelin”, which refers to a type of medieval spear.
The variants of the surname Scheifelin likely originates from the fact that medieval Germanic surnames were often written and/or spoken in various dialects and with Eastern and Western variations or spellings.
In the United States, the pronounciation of Scheifelin and variants are typically pronounced “She-feel-in”.
The surname Scheifelein has been documented in various records in Germany, as far back as the 14th century, with records of Henne Schiffeler in 1259 in Fertholdstein's Chronica.
The surname Schiffelin is known to have derived from elements of French origin, with French Huguenot emigrants coming to America in the early 17th and 18th centuries. During this time, the surname Schiffelin was commonly found in Pennsylvania and recorded in Rheinland, von Schifelen was documented from Besch near Frankfurt and Schifeler and Schifelmann were recorded at Loehne in Prussia.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Scheifelin was located in different regions of Germany such as Iggesund in Sweden, Kreuzburg in Prussia and Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.
The finals words, it is clear the surname Scheifelin has many variants, spellings and origin surnames. It has been found to be predominantly associated with Germanic and French origin and has seen a historical spread across Europe and North America.
Famous people with the name Scheifelin
- Daniel Scheifele: Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Winnipeg Jets in the National Hockey League (NHL).
- Judd Scheifele: Canadian professional mixed martial artist and ranked in the top ten of the Professional Fighters League's heavyweight division.
- Chris Scheifele: NBA basketball statistician for the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Jack Scheifele: American producer and director of feature films and television, including the documentary, The Taco Truck.
- Dan Scheifele: American orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist.
- Margaret Scheifele: Canadian documentary filmmaker who has directed several award-winning documentaries including Making Changes, an exploration of Canada's immigration system, and A Silent Voice, which looks at the struggles of domestic violence.
- Anna Scheifele: German singer and musician who released two solo albums in the early 2000s.
- David Scheifele: Founder and president of Scheifele & Associates, a professional services consulting firm based in Germany.
- Peter Scheifele: Former executive vice president and director of BMW AG, and former chairman of the board of the University Hospital of Zurich.
- Hermann Scheifele: German astronomer and professor of astronomy at the University of Tübingen.