NameCensus.

UK surname

Schaffer

An occupational surname referring to a steward, treasurer, or manager of sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Schaffer surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 265, ranked #16,130, up from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Harrow and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Schaffer is 282 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 289.7%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

265

2016, ranked #16,130

Peak year

2011

282 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Schaffer had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016, ranked #16,130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Schaffer surname distribution map

The map shows where the Schaffer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Schaffer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Schaffer over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 19 #29,904
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 77 #27,169
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 223 #13,951
1997 modern 248 #15,363
1998 modern 258 #15,354
1999 modern 263 #15,267
2000 modern 258 #15,427
2001 modern 254 #15,363
2002 modern 246 #15,988
2003 modern 242 #15,960
2004 modern 243 #16,004
2005 modern 239 #16,144
2006 modern 252 #15,642
2007 modern 248 #15,994
2008 modern 244 #16,346
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 279 #15,529
2011 modern 282 #15,233
2012 modern 270 #15,667
2013 modern 265 #16,138
2014 modern 265 #16,247
2015 modern 262 #16,278
2016 modern 265 #16,130

Geography

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Where Schaffers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St John Hackney and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Harrow, Peterborough, Kensington and Chelsea and Redbridge. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 007 Bedford
2 Harrow 002 Harrow
3 Peterborough 017 Peterborough
4 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Redbridge 019 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Schaffer

These lists show first names that appear often with the Schaffer surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Schaffer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Schaffer, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Schaffer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Schaffer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Schaffer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Schaffer is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Schaffer falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Schaffer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Schaffer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Schaffer

The surname Schaffer is of German origin, derived from the occupational name for a shepherd or sheep farmer. It is believed to have originated in the 14th century or earlier, from the Middle High German word "schaf" meaning sheep.

The name was particularly common in southern Germany, Switzerland, and parts of Austria, where sheep farming was a significant part of the local economy. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval records and documents from these regions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hans Schaffer, a shepherd from the village of Seefeld in the Bavarian Alps, who was mentioned in a land registry document from 1432. Another notable early example is Johann Schaffer, a wealthy landowner and sheep farmer from the Tyrol region of Austria, who was recorded in a local court document from 1487.

The name Schaffer also appears in various forms in historical records, such as Schaefer, Schäfer, and Schäffer, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or the personal preferences of individual scribes or record-keepers.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Schaffer, including:

1. Johann Gottlieb Schaffer (1720-1795), a German naturalist and entomologist known for his work on insect classification. 2. Johann Zoffany (born Johannes Zauffely or Johann Schaffer, 1733-1810), a German-born English painter renowned for his portraits of famous figures in the late 18th century. 3. Catherine Schaffer (1839-1904), an American philanthropist and educator who founded the Schaffer Free Library in Orange, New Jersey. 4. Franz Xaver Schaffer (1876-1953), an Austrian painter and printmaker known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life. 5. Walter Schaffer (1912-1992), an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox in the 1930s.

While the surname Schaffer has its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Schaffer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Schaffer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 46 Schaffers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 46 6.83x
Lancashire 7 0.88x
Surrey 7 2.13x
Sussex 3 2.64x
Worcestershire 2 2.28x
Channel Islands 1 5.01x
Glamorgan 1 0.85x
Northumberland 1 1.00x
Somerset 1 0.92x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 17 Schaffers recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.06x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 17 26.06x
Shoreditch London 11 37.70x
Hulme 6 35.99x
St Pancras London 6 11.07x
Clapham 5 59.45x
St Marylebone London 5 13.91x
Tottenham 5 46.64x
Hastings St Mary 3 106.38x
Camberwell 2 4.65x
Claines 2 82.99x
Ditton 1 303.03x
Jesmond 1 70.92x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 35.21x
Roath 1 18.80x
St Anne Soho London 1 26.04x
St Peter Port 1 27.10x
Westminster St 1 40.32x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Schaffer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Mary 2
Matilda 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Hariett 1
Heline 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Mime 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Schaffer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Frederick 3
George 3
Henry 3
John 3
William 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Frederic 2
Fried 2
Herbert 2
Arthur 1
Christian 1
Edwin 1
Emil 1
Gottfried 1
Henery 1
Karl 1
Nick 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Rueben 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Schaffer households.

FAQ

Schaffer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Schaffer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Schaffer surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Schaffer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016. That gives Schaffer a modern rank of #16,130.

What does the Schaffer surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a steward, treasurer, or manager of sheep.

What does the Schaffer map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Schaffer bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.