Diederich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Diederich. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known as Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Diederich family.

Early Origins of the Diederich family

The surname Diederich was first found in Prussia, where the family was anciently associated with the political and religious conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. The family founded numerous branches, many of which acquired manors and estates in surrounding regions, where they contributed to the prosperity of their society. The name was made famous during the Middle Ages through the folk hero Dietrich von Bern, and the Dietrich-sagas which stem from the life of the Gothic King Theoderich the Great. The prefix "ded," "did," "died," "diet," or "diot" means people, nation, or folk, while the ending "Reich" means realm.

Early History of the Diederich family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diederich research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1816 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Diederich History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diederich Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Diederich include Dederich, Dederick, Dedereich, Dederichs, Dedericks, Dedereichs, Dedrich, Dedrick, Dedreich, Diederich, Diederick, Diedereich, Diederichs, Diedericks, Diedereichs, Didrich, Didrick, Didreich, Dhederich, Dhederick, Dhedereich, Thederich, Thederick and many more.

Early Notables of the Diederich family

Notable figures of the time with the name Diederich were

Christoph Leopold Diederichs, who was the justice advisor and member of the state council of Prussia...
Carl Anton Diederichs was the city director to Herford...
Bernhard Carl Diederichs was president of the high court at Frankfurt...

Diederich Ranking

In the United States, the name Diederich is the 12,067^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Diederich migration to the United States +

Much of German history has been shaped by the state of Prussia. It was an enduring military power until after the Second World War. At that time, the state was abolished altogether and its land divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. While some Prussians were content to remain in those countries, others moved away, many of them migrating to North America. They entered the United States mostly through Philadelphia, moving on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others went to Canada, settling on the prairies and in the province of Ontario. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Diederich Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Henrich Joseph Diederich, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1794 2

Diederich Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

while Andreas Diederich, who landed in Philadelphia at the age of 20 in 1802
Andreas Diederich, age 20, settled in Philadelphia in 1802
Andrea Diederich, aged 20, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 2
Ferdinand Diederich, aged 44, who landed in New York in 1851 2
Kasper Diederich, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Diederich (post 1700) +

John Thomas Diederich (d. 1974), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 1948 (alternate), 1952, 1972 (alternate); Kentucky Republican State Chair, 1955 3
Henry William Diederich (1845-1926), American Republican politician, U.S. Consul in Leipzig, 1889-93; Magdeburg, 1897-99; Bremen, 1899-1906; Sarnia, 1920-24; U.S. Consul General in Antwerp, 1906-17 3
Edward R. Diederich, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1908 3
Benjamin W. Diederich (b. 1903), American Republican politician, Member of Wisconsin State Assembly from Sheboygan County 1st District, 1939-40 3
Diederich Krug (1821-1880), German pianist and composer
Diederich Bahrenburg, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for New Jersey, 1912

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html