Surname Schmalfuhs - Meaning and Origin
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Schmalfuhs: What does the surname Schmalfuhs mean?
The last name Schmalfuhs is of German origins and is believed to be derived from the word “schmal” meaning ‘narrow’ and ‘Fuhs’ meaning ‘safe’. The surname is believed to have been mainly used in north-eastern Germany, and was used to describe a safe-keeper or a security guard. It would suggest that a member of a family with the surname of Schmalfuhs may have been an important figure in a community or town at one point in history.
The surname is believed to have origins in Hanover, in the province of Görstorf, Germany, in the early 1600s and it is possible that a German immigrant who later settled in America by the name of Christopher Schmalfuhs, brought the name with him during his migration.
The recorder of this name in America states that, “In modern times the name has been common in the southern states. It is mostly found within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.”
Today, this name is uncommon in Germany, but is still carried by people all around the world, with families concentrated mainly in the United States and Canada. Some members of the Schmalfuhs family can be found in Austria, the Netherlands and Scotland.
Overall, the surname is a unique one and the German origins of its name refer to an occupation of an important figure, a safe-keeper or security guard, from times past. It is a surname that stands for safety and security, and still has the power to represent it today.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmalfuhs: Where does the name Schmalfuhs come from?
The last name Schmalfuhs is most commonly found in German-speaking countries, particularly in the northern parts of Germany. The surname is also found in areas of Europe that were influenced by German cultures, such as the eastern regions of the Czech Republic and Austria.
Additionally, many families with the surname Schmalfuhs immigrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, so the name can also be found in the American Midwest, particularly in states such as Wisconsin and Minnesota. Descendants of those families might be found in other parts of the country as well.
It is likely that the surname has had several variants over the years, as German surnames often have, but the most common ones are Schmalfehs, Schmolfuhs, and Schmalfehr. People with surnames similar to Schmalfuhs, such as Schmalfeld or Schmallfuhr, may also be related to families that originally carried the Schmalfuhs surname.
Overall, the surname Schmalfuhs appears to be most prevalent in Europe, particularly in Germany, but descendants of those early immigrants can still be found in the U.S. today.
Variations of the surname Schmalfuhs
The surname Schmalfuhs has been spelled with many variants and alternate spellings. These include Schmalfuhse, Schmalfus, Schmalfuss, Schmalfuse, Schmalfusse, Schmalfuhse, Smalfuhs, Smalfus, Smalfuss, Smalfuse, Smalfusse, Smelfuhs, Smelfus, Smelfuss, Smelfuse, Smelfusse, Schmalfuhr, Schmalfur, Schmalfurs, Schmalfurr, Smalfuhr, Smalfur, Smalfurs, Smalfurr, and Schelfuhs, Schelfus, Schelfuss, Schelfuse, and Schelfusse.
The Schmalfuhs surname originated in the Old Saxon lands of Germany. It is likely derived from a combination of the German words 'Schamel' meaning 'sparse' and 'Fuß' meaning 'foot', reflecting the ancestral occupation of a shoemaker. The Schmalfuhs surname would have been given to a person who crafted footwear using minimal material, or with 'sparse feet', and the variation in spelling likely evolved over time due to illiteracy or dialects.
The Schmalfuhs surname can also be found across the Netherlands, Norway, and the Scandinavian countries where the name has evolved differently. In Norway, for example, the surname is most commonly spelled Smalfus or Smelfus, while in the Netherlands, it is most commonly spelled Schmalfuhr or Schmalfur.
The Schmalfuhs surname has also evolved to become anglicized through immigration to other countries, where it is pronounced differently. In the United States, for example, the surname can be pronounced as 'SKMAL-fuss' and is used in many documented records as Smalfus, Smelfus, Spmalfuhr, and Smalfurr.
Famous people with the name Schmalfuhs
- Eric Schmalfuhs: In the 1980s, Eric Schmalfuhs was an American television producer, writer and director best known for his work on The Twilight Zone and My Two Dads.
- Albert Schmalfuhs: Albert Schmalfuhs was an American mountain climber who made the first ascent of the southeast face of Mount Rainier in 1925 with a team of his friends from Seattle.
- Helmut Schmalfuhs: Helmut Schmalfuhs is a renowned German scholar and author who wrote books on philosophy, art, aesthetics and the history of thought.
- Ed Schmalfuhs: Ed Schmalfuhs is an American retired professional football player who played for the Green Bay Packers in the 1970s and 80s.
- Ray Schmalfuhs: Ray Schmalfuhs is an entrepreneur and inventor who developed the artificial intelligence system Cleverbot.
- David Schmalfuhs: David Schmalfuhs is an American cinematographer and photographer who has worked on films such as The Last Samurai (2003) and Gladiator (2000).
- Franco Schmalfuhs: Franco Schmalfuhs is a former Argentinian footballer who played for several teams in Europe including Perugia, Roma and Ajax Amsterdam, as well as for the Argentine National Team.
- Fritz Schmalfuhs: Fritz Schmalfuhs was a German actor whose best known roles were in the TV series Spy (1979-83) and Henkersmahlzeit (1984-1992).
- Mary Schmalfuhs: Mary Schmalfuhs is a renowned American actress who appeared on stage in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Blackbird (2008) as well as in films such as The Fault in Our Stars (2014) and Love Actually (2003).