Schiffer Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

The same name, two spellings: Schiffer and Schiff. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Ship”. The ending -er in Schiffer marks an German derivative of the root behind Schiff. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms.

According to the 2010 US Census, the Schiffer surname had 2,173 bearers. It sits among the 25,000 most common last names in the country. French birth records list 201 children named Schiffer between 1891 and 2000. There were 9 such births in the 1890s and 29 in the 1990s.

Looking for a Schiffer 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 Schiffer family name pack.