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Schafer Family History

Schafer Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) (Schäfer): see Schaefer .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Schaefer, Schaffer, Schlafer, Schofer, Shafer, Schaper, Shafter

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Schafer family from?

You can see how Schafer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schafer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Schafer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 130 Schafer families living in London. This was about 68% of all the recorded Schafer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Schafer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schafer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Schafer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Schafer. 74% of Schafer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Schafer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    9%
  • Dressmaker
    5%
  • Unpaid Duties
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Schafer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 112,000 census records available for the last name Schafer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schafer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Schafer

Passenger Lists

There are 32,000 immigration records available for the last name Schafer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Schafer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 53,000 military records available for the last name Schafer. For the veterans among your Schafer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schafer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Schafer family history

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What is the average Schafer lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Schafer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Schafer in 1940 was 39, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schafer

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Schafer family tree

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