schaff

Schaff is a surname of German origin. It is derived from the verb schaffen, meaning to create, accomplish, or manage, and it is thought to have originated as an occupational nickname for someone responsible for producing or handling goods, or as a byname for a craftsman or supervisor. The spelling Schaff is common in German-speaking regions and among descendants of German and Swiss emigrants, including communities in the United States and other countries.

Notable people with the surname include Philip Schaff (1819–1893), a Swiss-born American church historian and theologian who became a leading figure in 19th‑century Protestant scholarship. His work in ecclesiastical history and biblical studies made the name well known in academic and religious circles of his time and beyond.

In reference literature, the name is associated with the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, a comprehensive early 20th‑century reference work on biblical and church history compiled by Schaff and colleagues. The encyclopedia helped disseminate Protestant and historical scholarship in the English-speaking world and remains a notable intersection of scholarship and biographical entries bearing the Schaff name.

Geographically, the surname is most frequently found among populations with Germanic heritage, though its presence is global due to migration and the spread of German surname practices. In modern use, Schaff appears primarily as a family name and carries historical associations with scholarship in theology, church history, and related fields.