Surname Schöfer - Meaning and Origin
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Schöfer: What does the surname Schöfer mean?
The last name Schöfer is a German surname meaning “shepherd”. It originates from the Middle High German word "scophære", which itself is derived from the Germanic Schuophar, "shoemaker". This indicates that, historically, the Schöfer family were people who made and repaired shoes.
Being of German origin, the Schöfer surname is likely to have been found mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. However, due to German immigration to other parts of the world, it can now be found in many countries around the world, especially the USA.
The Schöfer name is a fairly common one in Germany, with around 15,000 people being registered with this surname currently. The name is still used in many areas of German society today, from business and politics to the media and sport.
The Schöfer family have associated themselves with some high profile people in Germany, such as the inventor and entrepreneur David Schöfer, as well as the physicist and Nobel laureate Max Planck, who was descended from the Schöfer family.
The Schöfer name is still used and is likely to continue to be for many years to come. It is a name that encapsulates the spirit of hard work that was once needed to provide the shoes that were part of everyday life in the past.
Order DNA origin analysisSchöfer: Where does the name Schöfer come from?
The last name Schöfer originated from the German language and is mostly found in today's Germany. Schöfer (or Schoefer/Schäfer) is derived from the term "Schäfer" which means “shepherd” or “sheepherder”. The family name is likely to have represented an occupational name for shepherds or a status name for people who owned livestock.
Most occurrences of the last name Schöfer can be found in Southern Germany such as the Bavarian region. Other parts of the country where Schöfers are relatively common are East Frisia (Ostfriesland) and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). However, Schöfers have been found across all of Germany, as well as in other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland.
Outside of Germany, a small number of Schöfers can also be found in the United States, primarily in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Texas. Schoefers are also present in Brazil, where a relatively high concentration comes from German immigrants who arrived in the late 19th century.
In today’s world, Schöfers are scattered around the globe, with many families making their home in countries far away from their ancestral home in Germany. Nevertheless, Schöfer remains one of the most common last names of German descent.
Variations of the surname Schöfer
The variants, spellings and surnames with the same origin for the surname Schöfer are Schoefer, Schöffer, Schoeffer, Schofer, Schofffer, and Schoefs. These surnames all descend from the Old High German name Schouvolf, which originally meant 'Shepherd Wolf'. Later on, the name became more associated with shepherding, farming, and ranching.
Derived from Schouvolf, it is thought that Schöfer began to be used as a name around the 14th century in Germany. This is also reflected in other spellings, as when 'Flanders Dutch' influenced the Low German dialect, it may have caused some variations in spelling such as Schoeffer.
In addition to Schöfer, Schoefer, Schöffer, Schoeffer, Schofer, Schofffer, and Schoefs, other variations and surnames for Schöfer include Schofer, Schoef, Schoff, Schoffel, Schofell, Schöffell, Schoffen, Schoffl, Schoffler, Schöffler, Schoffman, Schofman, Schöfman, and Schöffman.
In the United States, the name Schöfer is particularly common in Pennsylvania, while the surname Schoefer is more common in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is also used as a name in various countries across Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Finland, Switzerland, and Denmark.
Famous people with the name Schöfer
- Bengt Schöfer: Swedish actor, director, and cinematographer
- Elisabeth Schöfer: German actress
- Dieter Schöfer: German composer
- Christoph Schöfer: Swiss Anglican priest
- Jan Schöfer: German footballer
- Robert Schöfer: German sprint canoeist
- Matthias Schöfer: German footballer
- Julius Schöfer: German Olympic runner
- Inge Schöfer: German actress
- Olaf Schöfer: German politician