Surname Scherfner - Meaning and Origin
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Scherfner: What does the surname Scherfner mean?
Scherfner is a German surname with several possible meanings. It could refer to a person living near a ravine or the edge of town, or a person who works by the riverside. It could also mean one who is related to a person or family with the name of Scherf. The family name is thought to derive from the Middle High German word “scherf” which translates to “edge” or “bank”, or from the Old High German word “scherbo” which can mean “shepherd”.
Some argue that the surname could have also come from a word meaning “shield”, but it is thought less likely due to the phonetic differences between the two languages.
Recent DNA testing has revealed that Scherfner families are largely rooted in German and Swiss ancestry. This likely explains its prevalence throughout Europe and even the United States.
The surname is a good representation of a classic German family name, varying in interpretations but never losing its roots in Germanic culture. It’s a name full of historical meaning and pride, and it’s no surprise that it remains popular in countries all over the world today.
Order DNA origin analysisScherfner: Where does the name Scherfner come from?
The last name Scherfner is most commonly found in Germany today, especially in the northeastern region of Germany in and around Berlin. It is quite a rare name even in Germany, however, and it is estimated that there are fewer than 1,500 people with this surname living in the country. It is thought to originate from a word that means “servant”, and it is possible that the Scherfner family may have been servants or freeholders in a particular area centuries ago.
The name is also quite common in the United States, with many of the individuals bearing the surname having descended from German immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The majority of those bearing the name in America live on the East Coast, with a higher rate of concentration in New York City and its surrounding areas. The name is much less common in other parts of the world, though it appears in a handful of other countries such as Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom.
Overall, the name Scherfner is most likely to be found in Germany and the United States today, though it is not especially common even in these countries. It is an interesting and quite rare name that is likely to have its roots in the servant identity of its ancestors.
Variations of the surname Scherfner
Scherfner is an old German and Ashkenazic Jewish surname, most commonly spelled Scherfner. One spelling variant of Scherfner is Scheerfner. Other spellings and surnames of German or Ashkenazic Jewish origin with a similar sound include Scharfner, Sharfner, Scharfenberger, Scharpfner, Scharpfneger, Scharpfner, Schaeffer, Schafer, Schaffer, Shafer, Shaffner, Schapfner, and Schaffner.
The origin of this surname is uncertain, but is likely derived from the a Middle Low German adjective meaning “sharp” or “clear” in reference to some physical or mental quality with which someone was endowed. In some cases, the surname may have been a term of endearment, referring to someone as “sharp” or “broad”.
It appears to be at least partially of German origin as most spellings of the name have underlying German etymologies. Another possible origin could be Jewish. This surname is found among Jewish families in German-speaking areas who adopted an adapted form of the surname after they were forced to adopt surnames during the 18th century, when “emancipation decrees” were passed that required Jews throughout the German states to take on a family name. The name could have been adopted from a German surname.
Finally, it could be of French origin, particularly among Catholic families in Germany and Eastern Europe as a result of migration from France and luxemburg in the 19th century. The spellings Scheerfner, Scharfenberger, and Scharpfner appear to be derived from the Old French word “Charpf” meaning ‘sharp’ or ‘clear’.
Famous people with the name Scherfner
- John Scherfner: American stage actor and singer
- Sergey Scherfner: a Ukrainian-born Russian actor
- Joseph Mark Scherfner: a professional rugby union player
- Ella Scherfner: a professor of Mathematics at Yeshiva University
- Mike Scherfner: a former Canadian Football League player
- Agnes M. Scherfner: a professor of astronomy at Stony Brook University
- Teddy Scherfner: an American disability rights activist and student
- Daniel Casimir Scherfner: a musician and composer
- Stanislaw Scherfner: a Polish football goalkeeper
- LeBron Scherfner: an American art director and production designer