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Schafer Family History

Schafer Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) (Schäfer): see Schaefer.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Schafer family from?

You can see how Schafer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schafer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Schafer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 109 Schafer families living in Ontario. This was about 43% of all the recorded Schafer's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Schafer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schafer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Schafer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Schafer. 63% of Schafer men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Schafer women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Schafer were Farmers Son and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Schafer | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    63%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Labourer
    6%
  • Farmers Son
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Operator
    60%
  • Stenographer
    40%

What Schafer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 112,000 census records available for the last name Schafer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schafer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Schafer

Passenger Lists

There are 32,000 immigration records available for the last name Schafer. 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 Schafer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 53,000 military records available for the last name Schafer. For the veterans among your Schafer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schafer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Schafer family history

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What is the average Schafer lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Schafer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Schafer in 1940 was 39, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schafer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Schafer ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Schafer family tree

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