Sheaffer
A surname most likely from an older spelling of Schaefer, meaning a shepherd or sheep manager.
The #8,087 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,304 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sheaffer is most plausibly an Americanized spelling of German Schaefer (also written Schäfer), a word meaning "shepherd" or "sheep herder." The name ultimately comes from German roots connected with tending sheep, so the surname began as an occupational label. In English-speaking countries, spellings were often adjusted to fit local pronunciation, producing forms like Sheaffer.
History
The surname is most common in the United States, where German immigrant families often simplified or reshaped their names after arrival. Sheaffer can appear as a spelling variant of Schaefer, Schäfer, Shafer, or Shaffer, with records sometimes varying even within the same family line. It is especially associated with Pennsylvania and other regions of substantial German settlement.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Sheaffer is a good example of how a German surname could shift into several different English spellings while keeping the same basic meaning.