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Shaeffer Family History

Shaeffer Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Schäffer (see Schaffer ).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Shaeffer family from?

You can see how Shaeffer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shaeffer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Shaeffer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Shaeffer family living in Hampshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Shaeffer's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Shaeffer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shaeffer 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 Shaeffer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shaeffer. 17% of Shaeffer men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Shaeffer women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shaeffer were Truck Driver and Clerk.

View Census Data for Shaeffer | 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%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Clerk
    7%

What Shaeffer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Shaeffer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shaeffer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shaeffer

Passenger Lists

There are 813 immigration records available for the last name Shaeffer. 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 Shaeffer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Shaeffer. For the veterans among your Shaeffer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shaeffer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shaeffer family history

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What is the average Shaeffer lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Shaeffer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Shaeffer in 1953 was 32, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shaeffer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shaeffer 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.

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