Scheefer Name Meaning, Origin and Heraldry

Before spelling settled in the modern era, so Schaefer could easily become Scheefer. Its meaning, shared with Schaefer, is “Shepherd”. Scheefer writes “e” in place of the “a” found in Schaefer, a typical scribal difference. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. The same family of names includes Schäfer and Schaffer.

Looking for a Scheefer coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Want more than a summary? See the Scheefer family name pack.