Surname Schachten - Meaning and Origin
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Schachten: What does the surname Schachten mean?
The surname Schachten is of German origin. It is derived from the German term 'schachen' which means log pile or stack of logs. Historically, this word likely was used to refer to a family of woodcutters or a family living near a wood pile, which would have been necessary to provide fuel for a family's heating and cooking needs.
The Schachten surname is also found in Dutch, Irish, and English speaking countries, suggesting that the bearer of the surname likely holds ancestry from multiple regions. It is not uncommon for surnames to be adopted from more than one language, especially in countries that have a history of immigration or frequent contact with different cultures.
Today, the Schachten surname can be found throughout the world and is likely held by many different families with very diverse backgrounds. It is likely that the various holders of the Schachten surname may have no familial ties beyond the shared surname. Despite this, the common origin of the Schachten surname gives all its holders a sense of shared history, if not a shared background.
Order DNA origin analysisSchachten: Where does the name Schachten come from?
The last name Schachten is most common today in Germany and The Netherlands. It is also found in various other countries, including the United States, Spain, Belgium, Austria, and Luxembourg.
The Schachten surname is of German, Dutch, and Jewish Ashkenazi origin. It is derived from the Middle High German noun schachte (meaning one who works as a ditch digger). This name likely started as an occupational surname used to denote a person who made their living by digging trenches or ditches.
In Germany, the number of people with the last name Schachten is estimated to be roughly 4,400. The highest concentration of the name is in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. In The Netherlands, the name Schachten ranks in the top 150 most popular surnames with an estimated 8,000 people having this last name. It is particularly common in the provinces of North Brabant, Flevoland, and South Holland.
In the United States, the Schachten surname is becoming increasingly more popular. According to the 2020 US Census data, the name Schachten was in the top 5,000 most commonly used surnames with roughly 1,300 people having it as their last name.
Overall, the last name Schachten is quite popular in many countries around the world, but it has its highest concentration in Germany and The Netherlands.
Variations of the surname Schachten
The surname Schachten is a German and Dutch toponymic surname, derived from the word ‘schacht’, meaning ‘mine shaft’ or ‘well’, indicating that the original bearer of the surname was most likely a miner who lived near a mine shaft, or a well.
The variants and alternate spellings of the surname Schachten all stem from the Dutch and German languages, and include Schacht, Schaecht, Schachte, Schaechte, Schachtes, Schaechtes, Schachtgen, Schachtin, Schaechtin, Schachen, Schachens, Schachtens, Schachens, Schaechtens, Schaechs, Schaechss, Schachts, Schaechsts, Schachtgen, Schachtins, Schaechtins, Schachtes, Schaechtes, Schaghtens, Schaeghtens, Schaghtes, Schakhtin, and Schakhtins.
The surnames that are related to Schachten are mostly Dutch in origin, such as Schachtzabel, Schaechters, Schaghtman, Schachtens, and Schachtmeister. In German, the related surnames are Schachtler, Schachtmeyer, Schaechtel, Schachtel, Schachtzabel, Schaechters, Schachtmeister, and Schachtman.
Other surnames that are related to Schachten are those which derive from the profession of mining, such as Minier, Minyeer, etc. or from other geographic locations that are associated with mines, such as Schluchter or Schlatter. Lastly, variants of the surname Schachten can also be found in other countries, such as Poland (Schachtenz), Luxembourg (Schacht) and Belgium (Schacht).
Famous people with the name Schachten
- Caleb Schachten: an American composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer that has released five albums
- Michelle Schachten: a lecturer in the theatre and dance department at Calvin College in Michigan
- Robert Schachten: a former professional racing cyclist that achieved podium finishes in the US National Road Racing Championships
- Walter Schachten: a former lightweight boxer that competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia
- Stacey Schachten: a former member of the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team
- Erich Schachten: a former National Championship skier from Germany
- Steve Schachten: an American country singer and songwriter
- Taliah Schachten: an American rock musician and songwriter
- Frank Schachten: a former professional Canadian football player
- Stephen Schachten: a legal practitioner and former mayor of Houston, Texas