Surname Scherr - Meaning and Origin
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Scherr: What does the surname Scherr mean?
The last name Scherr is of German origin and is most commonly found in the areas of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It is mainly a topographical surname meaning "cedar" or "fir," coming from the German word “schar,” which refers to a cluster of trees near a particular location. The name is commonly found throughout Europe but is also found in some places in North America, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
There are several variants of the name, each indicating different areas of origin. For example, in Germany this name can be spelled as Scher, Schaer, Schar, Schorr, and Schurr. The spelling could also change depending on the country of origin, with some other spellings including Scherr, Scherro, and Scherrer.
The earliest record of the Scherr name is that of an individual named Sigerus de Scerera from the 1200s in Bavaria. Later records include the Schar surname in various regions of Germany between the 14th and 16th centuries. The Scherrar family was also found in Wildberg, Germany, in the early 17th century.
In other countries, the spelling of the name varies. In the United States and Canada, some families run their name as Scherr, Scherrer, or Scherro. There are also some families in Mexico who spell their surname as Scherrer.
Overall, the meaning of the last name Scherr is generally that of a topographical surname, commonly indicating the location of a specific geographical area where a family first settled and started to build their lives.
Order DNA origin analysisScherr: Where does the name Scherr come from?
The last name Scherr is most commonly found in Germany, particularly in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is also quite frequent in Austria, particularly in the state of Vienna. In the United States, Scherr is most frequently found in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, and California.
In Germany, the last name Scherr is derived from Latin words meaning “shearer.” This name was likely given to someone who was a sheep-shearer or a tailor. In Austria, the last name is believed to be derived from the given name Schar, meaning “pious.”
According to Ancestry.com, there are currently 15,719 people with the last name Scherr living in the United States. The five most populous states in which the name is most commonly found are New York (2,173 people), Pennsylvania (1,621 people), New Jersey (1,567 people), Michigan (1,517 people), and California (1,457 people). The Scherr name is also found in other countries such as Canada, Australia, France, and the United Kingdom.
The surname Scherr is clearly much more common in Europe than in the United States, and it appears to trace back to German and Austrian origins. Today, it is most frequently found throughout the United States, Germany, and Austria.
Variations of the surname Scherr
The surname Scherr is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German term scherre which means "clerk or client". Variants of this name are Scher, Scherrer, Scherrert, Scherrerte, Scheer, Scheerer, Schirr, Schirrer, Schertz, Scherz, Scherzer, Schirz, Schirzer and Scherling, all of which have the same root.
The variant spellings of Scherr include Schorr, Scharer, Scherre, Schirre, Schurre, Schürre, and Schörr. In the English-speaking world, the spellings most commonly seen are Scherr, Schorr, Schurr, and Scharrer.
The variants seen in Austria, Switzerland, and South Germany are Schorer, Schorrer, Schörrer, Schörrert, Schörer, Schörert, Schuring, Schuringer, Schurwinkel, Schurwankel, and Soring. In North Germany, variants include Scherring, Scherrmann, Schörmann, Schöring, Schörich, Schuring, Schürke, Schörg, Schurry, Schurrey, Schurrmann, Schurken, Schürk, and Schürken.
The Jewish variations of Scherr include variants such as Shcherr and Scherotkin. In Poland, the name is known as Szer, Szerc, and ser. Lastly, in Italy, the name is spelled Scheri.
All of the above variants spelled or sound differently from the original surname, yet they all maintain the same root, and are rooted in the same origin.
Famous people with the name Scherr
- Adam Scherr: professional wrestler and actor in the WWE
- Faith Dreamsinger-Scherr: singer and songwriter
- Jonathan Scherr: multi-instrumentalist musician in the American Indie Rock Band Orgone
- Marc Scherr: documentary filmmaker
- Robyn Scherr-Wells: vocalist and founder of the experimental acoustic music ensemble Strings on Fire
- Steve Scherr: Senior Vice President of Trading at First Smart Group in New York
- Sydney Scherr: CEO and founder of mobile payments provider Givne
- Nathan Scherr: American photographer and artist
- Seline Schwarz-Scherr: Israeli athlete and team member for Israel’s lacrosse team
- Brenda Scherr: Canadian actress known for the films Lightning Rye and Married Life