Surname Seffer - Meaning and Origin
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Seffer: What does the surname Seffer mean?
The last name Seffer is of Jewish origin and is derived from the Hebrew word "Se'fer" which means "book". It is believed to have been originally adopted by people who worked in the Jewish scribal and printing industry or were associated with the publishing of religious documents.
There are various theories about the origin of this last name. One of the most popular theories suggests that the name was derived from a book or ledger which served as a record for a person's family tree. Another suggests that the name was taken from a respected Jewish Rabbi, somewhere in Eastern Europe.
The spelling of the name may have changed over different countries and over time. In some parts of Europe, it was known as Sefer while in other parts of the continent it may have been known as Zeffer or Zefer.
The Seffer surname is found in many countries around the world today, including the United States, Israel, Russia, Australia, and Canada. In the United States, individuals with the last name Seffer can primarily be found in the northeastern and midwestern parts of the country. In Israel, it can be found among people of Sephardic descent.
The most famous person who bore the last name Seffer was the Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem. It is interesting to note that in Hebrew, the name means "peace."
Order DNA origin analysisSeffer: Where does the name Seffer come from?
The last name Seffer is commonly found in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. In Spain, the surname ranks relatively high in the Castilla-La Mancha province, with a popularity ranking of approximately 4. In Italy, the name has seen a recent decline in usage, but still ranks in the top 800 most common names. In France, the name is widely found in the Burgundy region and the Bas-Rhin region. In Germany, the name is mainly centered around the North Rhine-Westphalia region and has an average ranking of 44. In the United States, Seffer is the 5,261 most popular last name, according to census data. The name is also popular in Russia, where its derivation is believed to have originated. The name has a rich history that spans multiple countries and centuries. The Seffer family is believed to have originated in the 11th century from the Germanic word seffa, meaning wild goat. The name has been used commonly in some of Europe's most renowned cultures and traditions.
Variations of the surname Seffer
The surname Seffer has many variant spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Seffer, Saffer, Schaeffer, Schaffer, Schaefer, Schafer, Schivers, Shafer, Shaffer, Sheffer, Sheffers, and Shivers. All of these spellings are related to the German surname Seffer; the variants with 'ff' come from a Germany dialect which replaces the standard 'f' with a double 'f' or 'ph'.
Saffer is a variant spelling of Seffer, commonly found in Austria. It is derived from the Middle High German 'saffer', meaning 'brave, daring, bold, strong, powerful person'. The related surnames Schaeffer and Schaffer come from the Old German term 'schadfriuwen', which means 'shepherd'. The German dialect spelling of this, Schaefer, is also found. Schivers is another variation, which comes from the Dutch and German 'schepers', meaning 'shepherd'.
The Americanized version of Seffer is Shafer and Shaffer. It is derived from the Old High German 'scharf', which means 'sharp, keen, strong'. Sheffers is a variant originating from England and Scotland, derived from the Old English personal name 'Sheaford'. Finally, Shivers is another related name, derived from the Middle English term 'schivere', meaning 'dweller at the cartshed'.
Overall, there are numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Seffer. These all have their own use, and are derived from the Middle High German, Dutch, Old English and Old High German languages.
Famous people with the name Seffer
- Victor Seffer: Romanian-Israeli singer, songwriter, and artist.
- Avishai Seffer: Israeli director, author, and playwright.
- Eszter Seffer: Hungarian composer.
- Marton Seffer: Hungarian former professional tennis player.
- David Seffer: Israeli weightlifter.
- Percy Seffer: British surgeon and teacher, known for a wide variety of medical innovations.
- Márk Seffer: Hungarian painter and sculptor.
- Alexander Seffer: Ukrainian businessman and inventor, founder of the first Ukrainian gas plant.
- Zvi Seffer: Israeli ex-Chief Executive Officer of Iscar, an Israeli cutting tools company.
- Jan Seffer: Czech painter and graphic artist.