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Shaefer Family History

Shaefer Name Meaning

Americanized form of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Schaefer ‘shepherd’.

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


Similar surnames: Shaffer, Shafer, Schaefer, Shaeffer, Sheffer, Shaner, Shiffer, Sheler

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Shaefer family from?

You can see how Shaefer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shaefer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Shaefer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 22 Shaefer families living in Saskatchewan. This was about 67% of all the recorded Shaefer's in Canada. Saskatchewan had the highest population of Shaefer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shaefer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shaefer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Shaefer. 50% of Shaefer men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Shaefer | 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
    50%
  • Tailor
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shaefer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Shaefer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shaefer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shaefer

Passenger Lists

There are 811 immigration records available for the last name Shaefer. 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 Shaefer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 991 military records available for the last name Shaefer. For the veterans among your Shaefer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shaefer military records

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What is the average Shaefer lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Shaefer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Shaefer in 1959 was 46, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shaefer

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