Schuster

There are several words in German to describe a cobbler or shoe maker including Schuh, Schuster and Schubert, as well as the popular Schumacher. All are loosely based upon a pre 7th century High german word 'schuoch' plus the variouis suffix such as 'wurte' or 'macher' or 'mann'. What is certain is that the name is recorded in very many forms including Schuoch, Schbuser, Schubart, Schubert, Schubbert, Schubort, Schuckert, Schuhose, Schukraft, Schuhler, Schumann, Schumeier, the Polish Szubert, and the Czech Subrt. Like many names of fame it has modest beginings but in the highly skilled guilds of the medieval period, shoe making was considered both essential and only available as a trade to those prepared to serve a long apprenticeship of at least seven years. Occupational surnames were probably the first to be created in about the 12th century, but they were not originally hereditary. There are many examples of occupational surnames where the son later took a wholly different occupation to the father. This lead to such 'identifications' as Heinrich Schneider filius Schuh, or loosely Heinrich the tailor, the son of the shoe maker. The next generation if there was one, could then choose between either Schuh or Schneider, or perhaps if the occupation changed again, take something quite different to both! Only after the 15th century did names become wholly hereditary, and then usually as a result of taxation, as the authorities insisted on continuous 'family' names. In this case early examples of the surname recording include Richardus Schumacher of Konstanz in 1276, Haunold Schuheler of Nierderneusiedel in 1339, and Apel Schuwurt, a burger of Wurzberg in 1435. Later recordings are those of Gregor Schubert of Striegau in 1552, and Christian Schubart of Nurnberg (1739 - 1791).