Surname Schonfeld - Meaning and Origin
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read moreSchonfeld: What does the surname Schonfeld mean?
The surname Schonfeld originates from the German language and is derived from the elements schön, meaning “beautiful”, and feld, meaning “field”. Schonfeld is likely a literal description of a place where the originator of the family name lived, such as a beautiful field surrounded by farmland or in a valley of stunning natural landscape. The Schonfeld surname is found in Germany, Austria, and across Central Europe, as well as in Jewish communities more widely. It is also found in the United States among immigrants of German and Jewish heritage.
The surname Schonfeld is associated with a range of trades and professions. Depending on the region and era of settlement, individuals bearing the Schonfeld name tended to be farmers, carpenters, smiths, merchants, rabbis, and scholars. It is believed that individuals bearing the Schonfeld name often left their original dwellings in search of work and a new life, and so they have become spread widely among different countries and regions over time.
The Schonfeld surname often conjures imagery of a beautiful, rural field from days gone by, but in modern times the name can evoke a variety of professional backgrounds and associations. Regardless of the origin, those bearing the surname can take pride in its long-held German and Jewish roots.
Order DNA origin analysisSchonfeld: Where does the name Schonfeld come from?
The last name Schonfeld is commonly found in countries with significant Jewish populations including the United States, Israel, Ukraine, and Russia.
In the United States, it is most commonly found in the northeast, especially around New York and Pennsylvania. Jewish surnames often have regional variations due to migration patterns, so Schonfeld could also be seen in cities with large immigrant populations such as Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago.
The surname is particularly prominent in Israel, although the use of Hebrew surnames has somewhat changed how it is written on official records. The original surname of Schonfeld has been replaced by versions that are more phonetically aligned with the Hebrew alphabet, such as Shonfel, Chonfel, Shonfild, and Chonfild.
In Ukraine, the surname can be spelled Sheynfeld or Shainfeld while in Russia, it is Шёнфельд.
Regardless of how it is spelled, the surname Schonfeld is a testament to the undying Jewish heritage and identity in countries around the world. It is a reminder of the long and tumultuous history of Jewish people and the communities they have created even in the face of persecution and displacement.
Variations of the surname Schonfeld
The surname Schonfeld (or Schoenfeld, Schönfeld, Shonfeld) is of German origin and is derived from either the first name Schon, meaning "beautiful" in German, or from the German word schönefeld, meaning "beautiful field." It is most commonly found in Germany and Austria, as well as in countries where German people have settled, such as the United States, Canada, and Israel.
Schonfeld can also be spelled as Schoenfeld, Schönfeld or Shonfeld. Spellings of the surname may vary depending on the language and its usage in the region. In the United States, the most common form is Shonfeld.
Variants of this surname have arisen in different countries due to the way that different languages tend to modify the surname. One variant is Schoenauer, which is found in Austria and Switzerland. It is derived from the German word schönauer, meaning "beautiful meadow." Another variant is Shoenberg, which is found in the Netherlands and is derived from the Low German word schoenberg, meaning "beautiful hill."
Other variants of Schonfeld are found in countries that have Dutch, Hungarian, Jewish, and French populations, such as in Hungary and Romania. These variants include Schonfarber, Schonman, Schonfinst, Schonider, Schontor, Schonkopf, and Schonfeldy.
Thus, the surname Schonfeld may vary in spelling, language, and region but can be traced back to culturally Germanic origin.
Famous people with the name Schonfeld
- Rabbi Jacob Schonfeld: a Hungarian Orthodox Jewish rabbi and resistance fighter
- Kurt Schonfeld: a German World War II fighter pilot
- Bella Schonfeld: an Israeli-American actress and singer
- Marion Schonfeld: a German writer, editor, and journalist
- Jonathan Schonfeld: an American entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Henry Schonfeld: an Austrian composer, pianist, and music teacher
- Paul Schonfeld: a British-American composer, conductor, and violinist
- Jon Schonfeld: an American punk-rock musician
- Emanuel Schonfeld: an Austrian film producer
- Michael Schonfeld: an Austrian composer and musicologist