History of your Surname
Get access to Schlief family records.Start a free trial

Schlief Family History

Schlief Name Meaning

North German: from Middle Low German slef ‘wooden spoon’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a spoon maker. The word also had a figurative sense of ‘ruffian’ so it could be a nickname from this.

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


Similar surnames: Schleef, Schlie, Schliep, Schlipf, Schlick, Schley, Schmick, Schlei

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Schlief family from?

You can see how Schlief families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schlief family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Schlief families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 25 Schlief families living in Minnesota. This was about 41% of all the recorded Schlief's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Schlief families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schlief surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Schlief ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Schlief. 46% of Schlief men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Schlief women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Schlief were Dental Technician and Telephone Operator. .

View Census Data for Schlief | 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, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    46%
  • Laborer
    32%
  • Farm Laborer
    12%
  • Dental Technician
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    25%
  • Teacher
    25%
  • Seamstress
    25%
  • Telephone Operator
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Schlief family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Schlief. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schlief census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Schlief

Passenger Lists

There are 350 immigration records available for the last name Schlief. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Schlief immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Schlief. For the veterans among your Schlief ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schlief military records

You've only scratched the surface of Schlief family history

Discover More

What is the average Schlief lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Schlief life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Schlief in 1962 was 72, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schlief

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Schlief family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Schlief last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial