Schürf

Schürf is a German term and surname. In mining, geology and archaeology, a Schurf denotes a shallow excavation, trench, or test pit used to sample rock, soil, or ore and to reveal information about subsurface conditions. The standard modern spelling in technical contexts is Schurf, while Schürf is the form commonly found in names and in older literature. The related verb schürfen means to dig, scrape, or mine, particularly to obtain ore or a sample, and a person who performs such work is called a Schürfer, a miner or prospector in general terms.

In archaeology and geological surveying, Schurf-type excavations are used to expose subsurface layers for study and to quickly assess stratigraphy or lithology. The term reflects traditional mining and prospecting practices, where small, targeted digs provided practical means to understand ground conditions before larger operations or detailed excavations.

As a surname, Schürf is of German origin and occurs in German-speaking regions and among descendants of German-speaking communities. Variants include Schurf and Schuerf, reflecting orthographic adaptation and the omission or replacement of the umlaut in different languages or records. The surname is relatively uncommon and may appear with or without diacritic marks depending on regional spelling conventions.