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Schaffer Family History

Schaffer Name Meaning

German: occupational name for a steward or bailiff from an agent derivative of Middle High German schaffen ‘to manage’. It is also found in France (mainly Alsace and Lorraine) Hungary Denmark Czechia Slovakia and Slovenia; see also 3 below. South German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) (Schäffer): variant of Schäfer (see Schaefer ). It is also found in Hungary Denmark Czechia Slovakia and Slovenia. Compare Cheffer Schaeffer Shaeffer Shafer Shaffer and Sheaffer . Germanized form of Hungarian Sáfár Slovenian and Croatian Šafar or Šafer Czech Šafář or Šafer Slovak Šafár cognates of 1 above (see Safar ).

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


Similar surnames: Schiffer, Schaefer, Schaffter, Schaffert, Scheffer, Schaffner

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Schaffer family from?

You can see how Schaffer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schaffer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Schaffer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 50 Schaffer families living in London. This was about 70% of all the recorded Schaffer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Schaffer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schaffer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Schaffer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Tailors Machiner and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Schaffer. 38% of Schaffer men worked as a Tailors Machiner and 74% of Schaffer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Schaffer were Bricklayer and Shop Assistant. .

View Census Data for Schaffer | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Tailors Machiner
    38%
  • Ladies Tailor
    38%
  • Bricklayer
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Shop Assistant
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Schaffer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 104,000 census records available for the last name Schaffer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schaffer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Schaffer

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Schaffer. 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 Schaffer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 27,000 military records available for the last name Schaffer. For the veterans among your Schaffer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schaffer military records

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What is the average Schaffer lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Schaffer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Schaffer in 1944 was 27, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schaffer

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