Shaffers

Shaffers is a surname of German origin, commonly encountered in North America and parts of Europe. As a plural form, it refers to families bearing the name Shaffer or Shaffers and is often encountered in historical and genealogical records. The name is typically linked to Germanic roots such as Schäfer or Schäffer, with the spelling adapted in English-speaking countries. While the exact origin can vary by family, such names are generally associated with occupational or descriptive roots and were carried to the Americas by immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In the United States and Canada, Shaffer-related families settled across various regions, frequently in areas with established German immigrant communities. Over time, the spelling diverged into variants such as Shaffer, Shafer, and Schaffer, reflecting local pronunciation and record-keeping practices. Today, Shaffers appear in demographic and genealogical sources as both a surname and a marker of lineage.

Notable individuals with the broader Shaffer surname include Paul Shaffer, a Canadian-American musician and longtime bandleader for the Late Show with David Letterman; Peter Shaffer, the English playwright known for works such as Amadeus; and James Shaffer, known by the stage name Munky, a guitarist for the rock band Korn. These examples illustrate how variants of the name have appeared across diverse public fields, from music and theater to entertainment.

See also: Shaffer, Shafer, Schaffer, Schäfer. The Shaffers name is part of a larger family of related surnames with shared Germanic origins and widespread diaspora.