Explore the Family Name Schimmer

The meaning of Schimmer

1. German: nickname derived from Middle High German schime ‘shadow, darkness’ probably for a reticent person or a recluse. 2. German: habitational name for someone from any of several places called Schimm, for example near Wismar and near Osnabrück. 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Schimmer ‘glimmer, shimmer’. Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Erik.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Schimmer in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Schimmer" has seen a drop in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 67,936 but fell to position 93,921 in 2010, showing a decline of about 38.25%. The count of individuals bearing this surname also decreased during this period from 271 to 195, indicating a drop of 28.04%. Consequently, the proportion of people with the "Schimmer" surname per 100,000 population dropped by 30%, from 0.1 in 2000 to 0.07 in 2010.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#67,936	#93,921	-38.25%
Count	271	195	-28.04%
Proportion per 100k	0.1	0.07	-30%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Schimmer

In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that most individuals with the surname "Schimmer" identified as White in both 2000 and 2010. However, there was a small decrease in this group over the decade, from 95.94% to 93.85%. On the other hand, the percentage identifying as Hispanic rose significantly from 2.58% in 2000 to 5.13% in 2010, marking an increase of 98.84%. There was no recorded change for Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities during this time frame.

	2000	2010	Change
White	95.94%	93.85%	-2.18%
Hispanic	2.58%	5.13%	98.84%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Two or More Races	0%	0%	0%
Black	0%	0%	0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	0%	0%	0%