Schafer

The origin of the surname Schafer

Schäfer means “shepherd.”

What kind of surname is Schafer?

As an occupational surname, the surname Schafer began as a description of the bearer's job, trade or office — one of the oldest and richest sources of family names. In the medieval world, a person was naturally identified by what they did, so the baker, the smith, the miller and the weaver each lent their trade to a name that later became hereditary. These surnames are wonderfully transparent windows onto everyday life in earlier centuries, preserving crafts and roles that in many cases no longer exist. Because certain trades were common everywhere, occupational surnames are among the most widespread family names in many countries.

How German surnames work

German surnames became fixed mainly between the 12th and 16th centuries and are strongly occupational (Müller, “miller”; Schmidt, “smith”; Schneider, “tailor”) and descriptive (Klein, “small”; Braun, “brown”), alongside patronymic and locational names. Müller, Schmidt and Schneider are among the most common surnames in the German-speaking world, reflecting how universal those trades once were.

Variants & spellings

• Schaefer
• Schafer