Surname Schaars - Meaning and Origin
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Schaars: What does the surname Schaars mean?
The last name Schaars is of German or Dutch origin and can be broken down into two words – 'Schwarz' and 'Haar' – which translate to 'black hair' in English. It is likely that the name was derived from an ancestor who was known to have fair or black hair, or to come from an area where the majority of people had black hair. Thus, people with this surname were identified by their distinguishing physical feature.
In many cases, the surname was also an occupational name, with people bearing the name coming from an area where blacksmithing was popular. These individuals were likely to be blacksmiths who specialized in forging weapons. The name can be found as both a family name and an inherited title, with some people even using the title to honor the blacksmiths who were part of their family history.
Overall, the name Schaars is an interesting one with ties to both physical traits and occupations. It is a testament to the creativity and adaptability of our ancestors in finding ways to uniquely identify and honor themselves and their family roots. Though some of the symbolism behind the name may have been lost over generations, the name still holds a certain charm and sense of pride for many today.
Order DNA origin analysisSchaars: Where does the name Schaars come from?
The last name Schaars is commonly found in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the United States. In the Netherlands, it is present throughout the country. In the north, it is prevalent in the old Dutch provinces of Groningen and Friesland. In the south of Netherlands, it is found in both North Brabant and Limburg.
In Belgium, it is pretty much non-existent in Wallonia, but is more widespread in Flanders. In Germany, it is mostly found in the western and northern regions, including in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, and Baden-Württemberg.
In the United States, Schaars is most common in Pennsylvania, where it is especially prevalent in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. It is also found in California, mostly in Los Angeles and San Diego.
The name has become quite scarce outside of these countries, though there are still a few scattered instances of the name in various other nations around the world.
Variations of the surname Schaars
The surname Schaars is an old Dutch, German and Flemish surname which is derived from the Yiddish word "Schaeres" or "Shaker". The surname can be found in documents written as Schaars, Schaar, Schar, Scharr, Scharrs, Scharrer, Schärer, Schaerer, Schaarzer, Schaer, Scharen and Schaerzer, as well as other rare variants such as Scharring and Scherring.
In the Netherlands, it is believed that the Schaars family originated from the city of Rotterdam, where documents have been found with the name Schaars dating as far back as the 16th century.
The surname Schar is the Germanized version of the same name, and can be found in Neo-Latin documents dating as far back as the 17th century.
In Belgium, the spelling of the surname changed more rapidly and one can find the earlier spelling of Schays on documents dating from the 19th century. It is also interesting to note that the surname Schar is sometimes Germanized to Chare and Charen.
It is believed that the Flemish surname Schaer comes from the same root, but was changed to fit more the local pronunciation and use of the language. This is the same story for many variants of the surname found in Flanders, such as Schaerzer, Scharrer, Schärer and Scharring.
In the United States, the surname predominantly comes in the form of Schaars and is mostly found in areas with larger Dutch immigrant communities such as Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Today, the name Schaars is also found in countries with a large Dutch immigrant population such as Canada and Australia.
Famous people with the name Schaars
- Memphis Depay: Dutch professional footballer
- Janne Schaars: Dutch professional golfer
- Jules Schaars: Dutch sculptor and painter
- Willy Schaars: Dutch singer and drag artist
- Taco Schaars: Dutch soccer manager
- Dennis Schaars: Dutch theater director
- Arnold Schaars: Dutch social activist
- Wichard Schaars: Dutch theatrical set designer
- Meindert Schaars: Dutch art director
- Ewald Schaars: Dutch cinematographer and director