Surname Schen - Meaning and Origin
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Schen: What does the surname Schen mean?
The last name Schen is of German and Jewish origin, and is most commonly found in central and eastern Europe. It derives from the German surname "schenken", which translates to mean "to give". The Schen family name is believed to originate from a nickname for a generous or hospitable person, or could have also originated from the German verb "schenken", which translates to mean "to pour". This surname is found predominantly in the Rheinland area of Germany where it may have been derived from a local river, a location or a noble family.
The root of the Schen surname is connected to the Middle German word "schenke". During the Middle Ages, families often adopted the local place name as a last name. Notable bearers of this surname include the scholar Friedrich Schen, 16th-century German composer Othmar Schen, astronomer Johann Schen, physicist Ernst Schen, and geologist Johann Schen.
Today, the Schen family name continues to be found across Germany, in the eastern European countries of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Latvia, as well as in many parts of the United States. The family is typically known for their generosity and hospitality, and their lineage is believed to be amongst the strongest in Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisSchen: Where does the name Schen come from?
The last name Schen is common primarily in the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern Germany. Traditionally, it is thought of as a Dutch name, since the Netherlands is home to the majority of people with the name.
The name Schen is derived from the German surname Schön, which means “beautiful”. It is the 28th most common surname in the Netherlands and is believed to have originated during the 15th century, with the original spelling being Schaen or Schaenen. The name was adopted throughout Europe, thanks to Europe's closely connected history.
In the 21st century, the name Schen is quite common in the Netherlands, ranking as the 23rd most common surname in the country. It is also quite common in Germany, where around 18,500 people have the surname. Additionally, there are around 15,000 people with the surname in Belgium today.
By and large, the main geographical origin of the last name Schen is the Low Countries, namely the Netherlands and Belgium. It has, however, spread to numerous other countries—"Schen" can be found scattered in France, the UK, the US, and many other countries in Europe, as well as all over the world thanks to globalization.
Variations of the surname Schen
The surname Schen is of Germanic origin and is derived from the Middle High German term “schenk”, meaning “cup-bearer”. This indicates that the surname initially referred to someone who held such a position in a royal court. It is also possible that in some cases, it may refer to someone who held the post of a bailiff. The surname has many different spellings as well as variants. Some of the more common variations of the surname include: Schein, Schenn, Shein, Sheikh, Schaen, Schien, Schin, Schinn, Scheen, Schaan, Schann, Schon, and Schoen. Other variants may have been adopted in other countries such as the United States due to different levels of spelling adaptation. For example, some Americans may spell it as “Shain” or “Shane”. There are also surname variants of the same origin, such as Schenk and Schank, which are related to the word “schenk”, meaning “cup-bearer”. All of these variants are still found in modern Germany and other countries in Europe.
Famous people with the name Schen
- Robert Schen, American professional cyclist
- Hermental Schen, Dutch painter
- Andreas Schen, Austrian director
- Annette Schen, American artist
- Willy Schen, Swiss businessman
- John William Schen, Canadian sculptor
- Deuscher Schen, Dutch singer
- Herbert Schen, East German cyclist
- Peter Schen, Dutch sculptor 10.Aymar Schen, Dutch athlete 11.Stephan Schen, German writer 12.Alfred Schen, Brazilian filmmaker 13.Herman Schen, Belgian doctor 14.Doris Schen, German actress 15.Joel Schen, Brazilian physicist 16.Jacob Schen, German scientist 17.Reinhold Schen, German football player 18.Jurgen Schen, German footballer 19.Iwajla Schen, Austrian opera singer 20.Johan Schen, Dutch basketball player