Schneider Surname Origin and Family History

The Schneider surname was generally adopted by a man who made outer garments, or a "tailor." The name derives from the German verb schneiden, meaning "to cut."

Schneider is another German variant spelling, while Snyder, Snider, and Sneider are Dutch spellings of this common surname. The spelling Schnyder is often of Swiss origin. Znaider is a similar Polish variant. Schneider is also similar to the common English surname Taylor.

Schneider is the 3rd most common German surname.

Surname Origin: Germany

Alternate Surname Spellings: Schnieder, Snyder, Snider, Sneider, Schnyder

Famous People With the Surname Schneider

• Georg Schneider - founder of the Bavarian Schneider Weisse brewery
• Eddie August Schneider - American aviator
• Fred Schneider - American singer; lead singer of rock band The B-52s
• Rob Schneider - American actor, writer, and comedian
• Erich Schneider - German Iron Cross recipient in both World Wars
• Franz Schneider - Austrian physician and chemist
• Henry William Schneider - British industrialist and politician
• Ludwig Karl Eduard Schneider - German botanist and politician

Where Is the Schneider Surname Most Commonly Found?

Forebears ranks Schneider as the 811th most common surname in the world, found in greatest numbers in Germany as you might expect, where it says it ranks as the most common last name. Schneider is also very common in Switzerland (8th) and Austria (18th). WorldNames PublicProfiler also identifies Schneider as most popular in Germany—especially throughout the southern regions—as well as in the Alsace region of France.

According to surname distribution maps from Verwandt.de, there are over 320,000 individuals with the Schneider surname living in Germany. The greatest numbers are found around Berlin, followed by Siegen-Wittgenstein, Munich, Cologne, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Hamburg, Stadtverband Saarbrücken, Region Hannover and Rhein-Neckar-Kreis.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname Schneider

Common German Surnames & Their Meanings
Uncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to German surnames meanings and origins.

Schneider Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schneider family crest or coat of arms for the Schneider surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

Schneider Y-DNA Surname Project
This project is primarily focused on individuals with the Schneider and variant surnames interested in Y-DNA testing to find common origins. However, Family Finder (autosomal DNA) testers are also welcome to participate. 

Schneider Family Genealogy Forum
Search this popular genealogy forum for the Schneider surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or to post your own Schneider query.

FamilySearch - SCHNEIDER Genealogy
Explore over 5 million historical records which mention individuals with the Schneider surname, as well as online Schneider family trees on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

SCHNEIDER Surname & Family Mailing Lists
RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Schneider surname.

DistantCousin.com - SCHNEIDER Genealogy & Family History
Free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schneider.

GeneaNet - Schneider Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schneider surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.

The Schneider Genealogy and Family Tree Page
Browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Schneider from the website of Genealogy Today.

References

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997

https://www.thoughtco.com/surname-meanings-and-origins-s2-1422408