The Schaeffer surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,024 people carried this name — #2,272 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 18,400 people counted. That is up 4% from 15,448 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 3,417 people named Schaeffer.
80 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 76 départements, most often Bas-Rhin.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
123 people named Schaeffer live in Switzerland.
They live in 10 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Poland’s population register
24 people named Schaeffer have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 45 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 5 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Greater Poland.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
25 people named Schaeffer is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
In print
Schaeffer in American newspapers,
1885–1909.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 59,981 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Schaeffer,
with a public archive behind them.
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Julius Schaeffer 1823–1902 · composer -
Hermann Schaeffer 1824–1900 · astronomer -
Charles David Schaeffer 1864–1923 · physician -
Franz Schaeffer 1582–1666
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Georg Christoph Schaeffer 1629–1666 · jurist
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Heinrich Schaeffer 1837–1884 · artist
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 7 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Schaeffer.
- Schaaff 136 · U.S. census
- Schaal 1,984 · U.S. census
- Schacher 889 · U.S. census
- Schacherer 218 · U.S. census
- Schade 3,958 · U.S. census
- Schaefer 41,063 · U.S. census
- Schaer 778 · U.S. census
- Schaerer 155 · U.S. census
- Schaetzel 113 · U.S. census
- Schaetzle 223 · U.S. census
- Schafer 24,543 · U.S. census
- Schaff 2,881 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Schaeffer is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.