Surname Scheepers - Meaning and Origin

Scheepers: What does the surname Scheepers mean?

The last name Scheepers is derived from the occupation of the original bearer. It is a Dutch name, and in old Dutch, Scheepers translates to “shipman” or “ship captain”, suggesting the original bearer was a seafaring merchant.

This suggests that the Scheepers family has likely been around for generations, originating in Holland. It may have come from one of the many Dutch trading centers, or from the coastal areas of the Netherlands where fishing and trade with other cultures were common. Many Dutch seafaring merchants were also involved in the colonial trade, meaning the Scheepers family could have had roots in the Dutch East India Company.

As the Scheepers name spread through immigration, the Scheepers family spread worldwide. As language and pronunciation changed, the name also adapted to fit the local spelling, resulting in different variations such as Schipper and Sheppers.

Today, the Scheepers surname is found in many countries around the world, from Canada, to England, to Scotland, to Australia, and beyond. Even though the name itself has changed over time, the legacy of the original Scheepers family remains alive in its current descendants, many of whom are still seafaring merchants.

Scheepers: Where does the name Scheepers come from?

The last name Scheepers is of Dutch origin and is most common in the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, and Namibia. In the Netherlands, it is the 47th most popular family name, with an estimated 8,100 people living in the country bearing the Scheepers name.

In Belgium, it is the 48th most popular name, with approximately 4,85 people with the last name Scheepers. However, the most people with the name Scheepers can be found in South Africa, where the name originates from the Afrikaans surname “Schipper”, which means “Dock worker”. According to the 2011 census, there were close to 17,000 people with the surname Scheepers living in South Africa.

In Namibia, a German colony until 1990, Scheepers is the 96th most common name, with an estimated 530 people having the last name. The origin of many Namibian surname is derived from the German settlers who colonized the country.

Despite a shared background, the spelling of the surname can differ slightly in different countries. For example, in South Africa and Namibia, the surname is often spelled as "Scheepers", while in the Netherlands and Belgium, it is more commonly spelled as “Schepers”.

Variations of the surname Scheepers

The surname Scheepers is a relatively common Dutch surname with a number of different spellings and variants.

The most common spelling of the surname is Scheepers, derived from the old Dutch word “schipper” meaning “skipper.” The surname was most likely used as an occupational name for a boat captain or sailor, as the town of Scheppers even has a waterway named the Scheppenwater, or “boat water.”

Closely related spellings include Scheppers, Scheeperss, Sheepers, and Schepens. A less common variation is Shepers.

The surname is also related to a few other Dutch surnames such as Schiffers, Schippers, Schipperus, Schipperijn, Schipperaar, and Schipperjes. In other cases, the surname may also be spelled as Schepersdey, Schepersden, or Schepersdo.

In Germany, the spelling Schippers is used, and in Belgium, the spelling Shippres also appears.

Finally, there are some instances of the surname Scheepers being anglicized to Shepperd or Shepherd. This is especially true of the families who emigrated to English-speaking countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous people with the name Scheepers

• Stein Scheepers: Dutch politician
• Barry Scheepers: South African cricketer
• Toni Scheepers: Dutch football player
• Gabrielle Scheepers: South African swimmer
• Jannie Scheepers: South African singer-songwriter
• Annemarie van Scheepen: Dutch voice actress
• Ellen Scheepers: Dutch actress
• Louis Scheepers: Dutch politician
• Willem Scheepers: Dutch physicist
• Robin Scheepers: Netherlands football player
• Juul Scheepers: Dutch radio host
• Kimberly-Ann Scheepers: South African swimmer
• Jeroen Scheepers: Dutch radio host
• Henk van Scheepen: Dutch politician
• Tonny van Scheepen: Dutch footballer
• Reinout van Scheepen: Dutch comedian
• Martijn van Scheepen: Dutch pianist
• Melchior van Scheepen: Dutch painter
• Manon van Scheepen: Dutch singer
• Willem van Scheepen: Dutch pastor

Other surnames

Scheeper