Show ContentsTiedeman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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 Tiedeman. 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 in 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 Tiedeman family.

Early Origins of the Tiedeman family

The surname Tiedeman was first found in northern Germany, especially Hamburg, where the name acquired prominence for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more recognized as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, some in foreign countries, elevating their social status through their great contributions to society. Chronicles suggest that the name is a northern German variation of Dietrich or Diederich. Chronicles first mention one Tidemannus (Tidericus) of Hamburg in 1262.

Later, Tiedemann Giese (1480-1550), was Bishop of Kulm was Bishop of Kulm (Chelmno) first canon, later Prince-Bishop of Warmia. He mentored a number of important young scholars, including Copernicus.

Early History of the Tiedeman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tiedeman research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1724, 1812 and 1821 are included under the topic Early Tiedeman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tiedeman 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 Tiedeman include Tiedeman, Tiedmann, Tiedman, Tiedermann, Tiederman, Tidman, Tidmann, Teedman, Teedmen, Teideman, Teidemann, Thiedemann and many more.

Early Notables of the Tiedeman family

Notable figures of the time with the name Tiedeman were

  • Major von Tiedemann, a major of the Prussian army and a teacher at a military school, who was mortally wounded while fighting valiantly in the Russian army during the Napoleonic Wars in 1812

Tiedeman Ranking

In the United States, the name Tiedeman is the 14,165th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Tiedeman migration to the United States +

Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Tiedeman were

Tiedeman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Nicholas Tiedeman, who settled in Philadelphia in 1812

Contemporary Notables of the name Tiedeman (post 1700) +

  • Rick Tiedeman, American camera operator, known for Blown Away (1994), Reality Bites and America's Sweethearts (2001)
  • May Seaton- Tiedeman (1862-1948), American campaigner for divorce law reform and an active member of the Ethical movement
  • Sean Tiedeman (b. 1972), American film director, producer, musician, and actor from Phillipsburg, New Jersey
  • Tyler Tiedeman (b. 1985), American former basketball player who played college basketball for the Boise State Broncos from 2005 till 2008


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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