Rehder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Rehder family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Rehder is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a wheelmaker or wheelwright. The name stems from the German noun rat, meaning wheel. The origin is more clear in the variant "Rademacher."

Early Origins of the Rehder family

The surname Rehder was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal 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. Chronicles first mention Cuncz Redler in 1259 in Iglau, Hans Redel and A. Radel of Bohemia in 1407, Johann Radler of Znaim in 1420, and the knight Goslaus von Redern in 1292 near Neisse. Often the name was associated with work involving mills, but might also stemm from wheel makers (thus the old variation "Rademacher"). From the earliest times, though, it was widespread and not restricted to a profession. The name branched into many houses whose contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Rehder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rehder research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1278, 1549, 1716 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Rehder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rehder Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Rehder include Rad, Raed, Raeder, Rehder, Redder, Rader, Raders, Rade, Radder, Redler, Redl, Raedler, Redler, Radl, Rademacher, Radenmacher and many more.

Early Notables of the Rehder family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rehder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rehder migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Rehder Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Frederick W Rehder, who arrived in Arkansas in 1901 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Rehder (post 1700) +

Holly Rehder, American Republican politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives 148th District; Elected 2012 2
Detlef Rehder, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1904 2

Citations +

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 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html