NameCensus.

UK surname

Schoeman

A Dutch surname derived from a nickname meaning "beautiful man".

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Schoeman surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Northampton and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Schoeman is 177 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14900.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

2010

177 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Schoeman had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Schoeman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Schoeman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Schoeman 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
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 43 #33,557
1999 modern 41 #33,866
2000 modern 49 #33,187
2001 modern 56 #32,379
2002 modern 70 #31,432
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 94 #28,896
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 177 #21,034
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 139 #24,912
2014 modern 141 #24,855
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Schoemans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Northampton, Barnet, West Somerset and Bromley. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 015 Tendring
2 Northampton 011 Northampton
3 Barnet 035 Barnet
4 West Somerset 004 West Somerset
5 Bromley 037 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Schoeman

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Schoeman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Schoeman, 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 Schoeman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Schoeman 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Schoeman is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Schoeman 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

Schoeman falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Schoeman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Schoeman

The surname "SCHOEMAN" originated in the Netherlands, with its earliest known instances dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Dutch word "Schoen," meaning shoe, and likely referred to an occupation or trade involving shoemaking or leatherwork.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch census records of 1622, which list a Willem Schoeman residing in the city of Amsterdam. Around this time, variants of the name, such as "Schouman" and "Schoemaker," were also in use.

In the 17th century, as Dutch settlers began to establish colonies in South Africa, some individuals bearing the Schoeman surname made their way to the Cape Colony. The name appears in the early records of the Dutch East India Company, which governed the Cape until the late 18th century.

A notable early bearer of the name was Jan Schoeman, born in 1685 in the Cape Colony, who served as a farmer and landowner. His descendants played a role in the Great Trek of the 1830s, when many Dutch-speaking settlers migrated inland from the Cape Colony, establishing the Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal.

Another prominent figure was Stephanus Petrus Schoeman (1810-1890), a Voortrekker leader and one of the founders of the town of Potchefstroom in the Transvaal. His son, Stephanus Jacobus Schoeman (1846-1915), was a prominent politician and served as the second President of the Orange Free State from 1892 to 1896.

In the 19th century, the surname Schoeman was also found in other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada, likely as a result of Dutch and Afrikaner immigration. One notable bearer was Martinus Schoeman (1849-1936), a Dutch-born American clergyman and author who served as the president of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Throughout its history, the surname Schoeman has been associated with various occupations, including shoemaking, farming, politics, and religious leadership, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have borne this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Schoeman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Schoeman 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. Cheshire leads with 1 Schoemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.95x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 1 46.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Altrincham in Cheshire leads with 1 Schoemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2500.00x.

Place Total Index
Altrincham 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Miss 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 Schoeman households.

Occupation Count
Governess (Sch) 1

FAQ

Schoeman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Schoeman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Schoeman surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Schoeman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Schoeman a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Schoeman surname mean?

A Dutch surname derived from a nickname meaning "beautiful man".

What does the Schoeman map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Schoeman 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.