On July, 2014 I presented the first theory advocated by some of us. In order to be neutral and objective, I will explain the second possible origin of our surname.
According to the first theory, our family name represents a sort of fusion of Schoch and Maier when two families had united their businesses and married their children)))
The second theory holds that our family name is occupational one. What is an occupational last name. These names were originally descriptive names based on the job a person did. Names like Taylor, Tyler and Paige are so popular these days, we don't even think of them as occupational surnames anymore!
It's clear that we have two words in our last name: SCHOCHenMAIER
Let's begin with MAIER:
This notable surname is of early medieval origin, and is a status name for a mayor, deriving from the Old French "mair(e)", ultimately from the Latin "mair(e)", greater, superior. In France and Scotland, the title denoted an officer who executed summonses and other legal writs, and in a Scottish Act of Parliament, dated 1426, the mair is described as the "King's Sergeant", and entitled to bear a "horn and wand". In England, the term was given to the chief officer of a borough. Thus, we conclude that MAIER might be steward, superintendent, administrator, responible for a group of workers, village or something like that. It's pretty general, that's why there are lots of MAIERs (more than 200.000).
What about SCHOCH?
There are only about 5100 surname bearers in Germany. This word is to be found in such family names as Schoch, Schochmann, Schöchle, Schöchlin, etc. It's an occupational name as well, for a farmer. In Middle High German schoche means "piled up haystacks" or "hayrick". Its usage is suitable for Swiss and Alemannic German (South Western Germany).
So, as you can see, the first Schochenmaiers could be chiefs or heads of those who ricked /cocked or stacked/ the hay.
Here are the ancient coats of arms of the Schochs:
I have no idea why there are two of them))) But the first one seems to correspond to farmers...
Well, I think it's good news that we worked on the soil for lots of time, as well as our forefathers in Russia and first years in North America.
Some of places in the Southern Germany or Northern Austria by their emblems may indicate the relatedness of Scho/ach to hayricking. The problem is that all crests I found correspond to schAch(en)... Maybe it's not relevant? But why do they have haystacks on their blazons? Does it prove anything?
for Schachen in Austria
for Schachen to the South of Baden (Germany), near Switzerland
and
for Rohrschach in Switzerland.
I suggest that at any period the difference between schoch(en) and schach(en) was not so distinctive or it was written differently.
Well, it was the second theory on our origin. The dialect link guides us to the Southern Germany and it reassures that we on the right way.
According to the first theory, our family name represents a sort of fusion of Schoch and Maier when two families had united their businesses and married their children)))
The second theory holds that our family name is occupational one. What is an occupational last name. These names were originally descriptive names based on the job a person did. Names like Taylor, Tyler and Paige are so popular these days, we don't even think of them as occupational surnames anymore!
It's clear that we have two words in our last name: SCHOCHenMAIER
Let's begin with MAIER:
This notable surname is of early medieval origin, and is a status name for a mayor, deriving from the Old French "mair(e)", ultimately from the Latin "mair(e)", greater, superior. In France and Scotland, the title denoted an officer who executed summonses and other legal writs, and in a Scottish Act of Parliament, dated 1426, the mair is described as the "King's Sergeant", and entitled to bear a "horn and wand". In England, the term was given to the chief officer of a borough. Thus, we conclude that MAIER might be steward, superintendent, administrator, responible for a group of workers, village or something like that. It's pretty general, that's why there are lots of MAIERs (more than 200.000).
What about SCHOCH?
There are only about 5100 surname bearers in Germany. This word is to be found in such family names as Schoch, Schochmann, Schöchle, Schöchlin, etc. It's an occupational name as well, for a farmer. In Middle High German schoche means "piled up haystacks" or "hayrick". Its usage is suitable for Swiss and Alemannic German (South Western Germany).
So, as you can see, the first Schochenmaiers could be chiefs or heads of those who ricked /cocked or stacked/ the hay.
Here are the ancient coats of arms of the Schochs:
I have no idea why there are two of them))) But the first one seems to correspond to farmers...
Well, I think it's good news that we worked on the soil for lots of time, as well as our forefathers in Russia and first years in North America.
Some of places in the Southern Germany or Northern Austria by their emblems may indicate the relatedness of Scho/ach to hayricking. The problem is that all crests I found correspond to schAch(en)... Maybe it's not relevant? But why do they have haystacks on their blazons? Does it prove anything?
for Schachen in Austria
for Schachen to the South of Baden (Germany), near Switzerland
and
for Rohrschach in Switzerland.
I suggest that at any period the difference between schoch(en) and schach(en) was not so distinctive or it was written differently.
Well, it was the second theory on our origin. The dialect link guides us to the Southern Germany and it reassures that we on the right way.
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