Show ContentsRoehrig History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Roehrig comes from Prussia, a historic region that originally encompassed the coastal lands of the southeast Baltic, but over time expanded to include much of Poland and the majority of Germany. In pre-medieval times, these Prussians used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames so that they would remain distinct from the many others with the same first name. Local names were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from", which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Roehrig was a name for some one lived in Brandenburg-Prussia.

Early Origins of the Roehrig family

The surname Roehrig was first found in Brandenburg, where the name could be considered to have made a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of modern Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the tribal and national conflicts, with each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. Chronicles first mention Albrecht Rorer, or Albrecht "from the Ror," who was born in Eger in Bohemia around 1330.

Early History of the Roehrig family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roehrig research. Another 250 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1314, 1381, 1400, 1672, 1674, 1757, 1800 and 1839 are included under the topic Early Roehrig History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roehrig Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Roehrig include Rohre, Roehr, Roehrer, Rohrer, Rorer, Ror, Rore, Roar, Roare, Rhor, Rhore, Rorau (Silesia), Rohr, Roer, Roeher and many more.

Early Notables of the Roehrig family

More information is included under the topic Early Roehrig Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Roehrig migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Roehrigs to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Roehrig Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Daniel Roehrig, aged 32, who landed in Missouri in 1840 [1]
  • Charles Roehrig, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 [1]
Roehrig Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • William Roehrig, aged 56, who landed in America, in 1906
  • Hanni Roehrig, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Hannover, Germany, in 1907
  • Hermann Roehrig, aged 27, who landed in America from Hannover, Germany, in 1907
  • Adele Roehrig, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States from Barmen, Germany, in 1910
  • Paula Roehrig, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Ludwigshafen, Germany, in 1913
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Roehrig (post 1700) +

  • Frederick Louis Roehrig (1857-1948), American architect, best known for his Hotel Green, Pasadena, Castle Green and the Frederick Hastings Rindge House
  • Udo Röhrig (b. 1943), East German former handball player who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics
  • Hans Röhrig (1919-1943), German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross, credited with 19 victories


  1. 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)


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