Surname Schoch - Meaning and Origin

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D. Schoch

Schoch: What does the surname Schoch mean?

The surname Schoch is of German origin and it is derived from the Middle High German term "schoch" which means "barn owl". It was originally a nickname for someone who was thought to resemble this bird in terms of physical characteristics or behavior. The name signifies wisdom, vigilance, or someone who keeps late hours, traits associated with barn owls. The surname may also have been occupational, denoting a person who worked at night or had a night-oriented lifestyle, as barn owls are nocturnal creatures. It is important to understand that meanings of surnames can vary according to regional usage and evolving linguistic, cultural, and societal norms throughout the centuries. Thus, while the name Schoch most commonly aligns with the aforementioned descriptions, it may hold different connotations or histories unique to particular families with this surname.

Schoch: Where does the name Schoch come from?

The surname Schoch is most commonly found in Germany and Switzerland today. It is derived from the Old High German word “schoh”, which meant “shoe maker”. The people who adopted this name likely had an ancestor who was in the profession of making shoes.

The Schoch surname is also found in parts of Austria, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and the surrounding areas. Millions of people from all of these countries immigrated to various locations around the world, including the United States and Canada. This means that the surname likely made its way to more countries from these main European nations.

In the United States, Schoch is usually found in the Midwest and the Great Lakes states. The name is most concentrated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, but it can be found all over the country. Across the border, it is similarly spread out in Canada, with the majority of people with this last name living in Ontario and Quebec.

As of 2018, there were approximately 9,944 people with the Schoch surname living in the United States and 1,764 in Canada. The surname is still quite common in Germany, with 83,328 people having it. It is also relatively common in Switzerland with 15,262 people who share the name.

Variations of the surname Schoch

The surname Schoch has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.

Variants of the surname Schoch include Schoock, Schook, Schoeckel, Schoechel, Schoeks, Schoeck, Schoech, Schoeckle, Schoeckel, Schoedel, Schoettle, Schoettler and Schoettle.

Spellings can also vary, with Schoch sometimes appearing as Schock, Schochh, Schooche, Schochock, Schochs, Schockh, Schochs and Schockt.

Surnames of the same origin as Schoch include Schacht, Schoose, Schussy, Schulte, Sechschenk, Sechs and Zech.

The origins of the surname Schoch are believed to be German, with the type of work an ancestor did providing a clue as to why a family adopted this surname variant. The 'schoch' element of the name is thought to have derived from the Middle High German word 'schocha', which means 'servant' or 'manservant'.

This surname would have been given to people who were descended from men who worked as servants, either paid or unpaid, within a royal court or for a wealthy landowner. It may also have been used as a nickname, denoting a high level of loyalty.

In modern times, the surname is most common in Germany but also found in Switzerland, Austria, and other countries of German-speaking Europe, as well as the United States.

Famous people with the name Schoch

• Georg Schoch: Georg Schoch was a German physician and chemist who worked at the University of Strasbourg as a professor of medical chemistry. He is best known for his discovery of the Würzburg element, the first halogen metal.
• Michael Schoch: Michael Schoch is a German entrepreneur and investor in technology and media companies, having also served as CEO of Europe's largest independent media and technology company.
• Hans Schoch: Hans Schoch was a Swiss historian and linguist, specializing in the historical development of the German language. He is recognized as one of the most important linguistic scientists of the 20th century.
• John Schoch: John Schoch is an American paleontologist and geologist who was a professor of paleontology and geology at the University of California Berkeley. He is best known for his research on the dinosaur footprints in the La Brea Tar Pits.
• Robert Schoch: Robert Schoch is an American geologist and associate professor of Natural and Physical Sciences at the College of General Studies at Boston University. He is best known for his research on the Great Sphinx and the Age of the Sphinx hypothesis.
• Johann Baptist Schoch: Johann Baptist Schoch was an Austrian painter who was mainly known for his genre painting, portraiture, and religious works. His works comprised a unique blend of Neoclassicism and Romanticism.
• Rudolf Schoch: Rudolf Schoch was a Swiss modernist sculptor who executed many public monuments, bas-reliefs, and garden pieces in Switzerland, Germany, and the United States. He is best known for his figurative works, including the controversial "Man of the Oaks" public sculpture in Berlin.
• Wilhelm Schoch: Wilhelm Schoch was a German/Swiss sculptor and painter who was well-known for his group sculptures of athletes and famous generals of the late 19th century. His most famous and best preserved sculpture can be seen in the Hauptbahnhof Zurich.

Other surnames

SchochardSchochardtSchochertSchochhardtSchöchlSchöchleSchöchlinSchockeySchockley