Surname Schoenefeldt - Meaning and Origin

Schoenefeldt: What does the surname Schoenefeldt mean?

The last name Schoenefeldt is of German origin and is believed to derive from the Old German words 'schon', meaning beautiful and 'feldt', which translates to field. It is believed that the first bearers of the surname Schoenefeldt came from an area of Germany which was highly cultivated and known for its stunning scenery, which likely inspired the name.

Today, the Schoenefeldt family name is most commonly found in southern Germany, Denmark, and northern Holland. It is thought that members of the Schoenefeldt family moved to various areas of Europe in the Middle Ages, bringing their name with them.

The name Schoenefeldt connotes natural beauty and suggests a love of nature, as well as an admiration of the land and the people who inhabit it. The Schoenefeldt family is known for its loyal and supportive nature towards the people and communities around them, as well as their strong work ethic.

The Schoenefeldt coat of arms is a pun on the name – a silver shield with a trefoil green field, set with three beautiful roses - a symbol of beauty and loyalty, as well as hard work. This powerful family crest became a proud symbol of the Schoenefeldt lineage, emphasizing the importance of keeping up the loving traditions and family unity that their ancestors passed down over the centuries.

Schoenefeldt: Where does the name Schoenefeldt come from?

The last name Schoenefeldt is most commonly found in Germany, with a particularly high concentration of people bearing this name in the northern states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony.

This is likely due to the surname's origins, which is from a German occupational name derived from the words "schon" and "velt". "Schon" translates to "beautiful" while "velt" signifies a field. This makes sense, as Schoenefeldt was originally used to denote a person who worked on a beautiful or well-kept field.

Today, Schoenefeldt is a relatively uncommon surname, though it is still present in Germany and other German-speaking countries. While more than 200 households in Germany bear the name, its presence is a bit more far-reaching than that. According to census data, Schoenefeldt is also prevalent in countries like Canada, Australia, and the United States.

The American signatures of the Schoenefeldt name exist mainly in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The presence of this name in these states is due in part to the large German immigrant population that settled there between the mid 19th and early 20th centuries.

In more modern times, the popularity of the Schoenefeldt name is waning; yet the legacy of those with this last name has left an impact on countries across the globe.

Variations of the surname Schoenefeldt

The surname Schoenefeldt is a German name originating from the Middle High German word Schonfeld, which means ‘beautiful field.’ The surname is rather rare and is most commonly found in Germany, Southern Sweden, and Scandinavia.

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Schoenefeldt are as follows:

Variants of the name: Schoenefeld, Schonfeld, Schoenfeld, Schoenefelt

Spellings: Schonfeldt, Schoenfeldt, Schonfelt, Schonfield, Schoenfelt, Schonfeld

Surnames of the same origin: Schonefeld, Schoenefelder, Schonwald, Schoenwald, Schoenhell, Schoenwelt, Schoenwalder, Schoenwaldt

In addition to these variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, the surname Schoenefeldt has been changed to other related versions in some regions. In Denmark and Norway, most people with the surname Schoenefeldt changed it to Schonfelter. In the Netherlands, the name became Schoonveld.

These surname variants and spellings offer a glimpse into the distant past of the surname’s origin. It is believed that in the medieval period, the name was likely used to refer to people who owned a beautiful field in their area. As time passed, the name was transformed and is now used in different variations around the world.

Famous people with the name Schoenefeldt

• Reid Schoenefeldt: Reid is a professional ice hockey player from Canada who currently plays for the Kalamazoo Wings in the ECHL.
• Sebastian Schoenefeldt: Sebastian is a retired German professional football player who played for teams such as Eintracht Braunschweig and Borussia Münster.
• Brad Schoenefeldt: Brad is an American professional basketball player who played National Basketball Association from 1973–74 season with the Denver Nuggets and the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.
• Carsten Schoenefeldt: Carsten is a German film director and movie producer, best known for his cult films such as ‘Gegengerade’ and ‘Bachelors’.
• Mike Schoenefeldt: Mike is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who has released several solo albums, as well as with his band The Schoenefeldts.
• John Schoenefeldt: John is an Australian pilot and former military officer, best known for his involvement in several air disasters, such as the 1996 Mount Erebus disaster.
• Andre Schoenefeldt: Andre is a Brazilian Grand Prix motorcycle racer who competed in the MotoGP world championship from 2006-2009.
• Karl Schoenefeldt: Karl is a Swiss ski jumper who participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
• Peter Schoenefeldt: Peter is an American political scientist and professor of politics at Cornell University who has also authored several books on international relations and related topics.
• Chris Schoenefeldt: Chris is an American reality television producer who served an executive producer for the 2015 series ‘The X Effect’.

Other surnames

Schoenefeld