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Scheff Family History

Scheff Surname Meaning

North German: descriptive nickname for someone with a physical deformity from Middle Low German schēf ‘crooked’. See also Sheff.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Scheff family from?

You can see how Scheff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Scheff family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Scheff families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 8 Scheff families living in Suffolk. This was about 62% of all the recorded Scheff's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Scheff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Scheff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Scheff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Scheff. 17% of Scheff men worked as a Laborer and 13% of Scheff women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Scheff were Manager and Housewife.

View Census Data for Scheff | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    13%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Manager
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    13%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Saleslady
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%

What Scheff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Scheff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Scheff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Scheff

Passenger Lists

There are 784 immigration records available for the last name Scheff. 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 Scheff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 885 military records available for the last name Scheff. For the veterans among your Scheff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Scheff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Scheff family history

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What is the average Scheff lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Scheff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Scheff in 1945 was 30, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Scheff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Scheff ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Scheff family tree

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