Schaefer

S1C3H4A1E1F4E1R1

proper noun

A surname from German [in turn originating as an occupation], equivalent to English Shepherd.

OriginGerman Schaefer ← Middle High German schæfære ← Old High German scāphare →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

proper nounSchaefer (plural Schaefers)

plural Schaefers · alternative Schafer

  1. A surname from German [in turn originating as an occupation], equivalent to English Shepherd.

Origin

  1. Old High Germanscāphare
  2. Middle High Germanschæfære
  3. GermanSchaefer“shepherd”
  4. EnglishSchaefer

From German Schaefer (“shepherd”), an occupational surname; from Middle High German schæfære, from late Old High German scāphare.

More words from German, Middle High German, Old High German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Schaefer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Schaefer

MLA

“Schaefer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Schaefer. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Schaefer,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Schaefer.

Source: Schaefer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.