Explore the Family Name Schuster

The meaning of Schuster

1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a maker or repairer of shoes, Middle High German schuochsūtære (a compound of schuoch ‘shoe’ + sūtære ‘one who sews’), German Schuster, Yiddish shuster. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and in some Central European countries, especially in Czechia and Slovakia, where it is more common in Slavicized forms (see 2 below). In part, Schuster is a Gottscheerish (i.e. Gottschee German) surname, originating from the Kočevsko region in Lower Carniola, Slovenia (see Kocevar). Compare Shuster. 2. Germanized form of Czech Šustr and Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, and Croatian Šuster, surnames of German origin (see above). 3. Germanized form of Slovenian Šuštar (see Sustar) or of its variant Šoštar, both of the same ultimately Middle High German origin as the name above. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Otto, Hans, Erwin, Helmut, Alois, Ernst, Manfred, Arno, Franz, Fritz, Gerhard.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Schuster showed a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1916th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 2088th spot, marking an approximately 9% drop in rank. However, despite the slip in rank, the actual count of people with this surname saw a marginal increase of 0.6% over the same decade, growing from 17,221 to 17,325. Its proportion per 100k also saw a decrease of nearly 8%, from 6.38 to 5.87.

20002010Change
Rank#1,916#2,088-8.98%
Count17,22117,3250.6%
Proportion per 100k6.385.87-7.99%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Schuster

The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Schuster between 2000 and 2010. The highest percentage, around 94.49% in 2010, down from 96.10% in 2000, identify as White, while individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw a significant increase of 53.62%. The Hispanic population associated with the surname grew by 50% over the decade, while those identifying as Black saw a 32.61% increase. The number of individuals identified as belonging to two or more races increased by 28.74%, and those identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a 25% increase. Overall, the data shows increasing diversity among those carrying the Schuster surname.

20002010Change
White96.1%94.49%-1.68%
Hispanic1.48%2.22%50%
Two or More Races0.87%1.12%28.74%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.69%1.06%53.62%
Black0.46%0.61%32.61%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.4%0.5%25%

Schuster ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Schuster is French & German, which comprises 36.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (25.8%) and Eastern European (10.5%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
French & German36.2%
British & Irish25.8%
Eastern European10.5%
Other27.5%
Schuster

Possible origins of the surname Schuster

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Schuster have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom61.60%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom61.40%
Merseyside, United Kingdom61.40%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom61.20%
West Midlands, United Kingdom61.20%

What Schuster haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Schuster is R-M417, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M417 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS3402 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Meyers, Richter, Hoffmann, Kramer, Schmidt, Schneider, Vogel, Hoffman, Mueller, Fischer.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Schuster surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

schusterPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Schuster have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Schuster

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Schuster" Surname 45.6%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Schuster

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Schuster" Surname 28.2%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Schuster

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Schuster" Surname 19.7%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Schuster

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Schuster" Surname 20.1%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Schuster?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Schuster are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

French & German 60.8%

23andMe Users 57.2%