Derr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The bountiful region surrounding the Rhine river is the birthplace of the name Derr. A single name was, at one time, all that people needed. However, an increasing ease of travel and the burgeoning populations forced people to adopt a hereditary surname to set themselves apart from others. A common form of surname found in the Rhineland is the local name. Originally denoting the proprietorship of the village or estate, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Derr was given to someone who lived on or near muddy land. The name Derr is derived from the German word "dehre," which refers to a muddy place. There are also numerous places in Germany named Dehre and Dehrn.

Early Origins of the Derr family

The surname Derr was first found in the Rhine region, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an unstable territorial profile.

Early History of the Derr family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Derr research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Derr History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Derr 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 Derr include Derr, Dehren, Der, Dair, Daer, Daere, Dehre, Dern and others.

Early Notables of the Derr family

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

Derr Ranking

In the United States, the name Derr is the 4,054^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Derr migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Derr were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Derr Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Martin Derr, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 2
Sebastian Derr, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 2
Maria Eva Derr, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1746 2
Geo Michel Derr, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
Conrad Derr, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Derr Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Derr, who landed in Texas in 1830 2
Nicholas Derr, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1850 2
William Derr, who settled in Philadelphia in 1852
Jacob Derr, who settled in Philadelphia in 1879
John Derr, who arrived in Ohio in 1887 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Derr (post 1700) +

P. Oliver Derr, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1920 3
Mildred O. Derr, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1944 4
John A. Derr, American politician, Mayor of Frederick, Maryland, 1954-58, 1966-70 5
John Derr, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Senator from Idaho, 1948 5
Charles J. Derr, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1964 6
Zac Derr, American football placekicker in the National Football League
Mark Derr, American author and journalist
John W. Derr (b. 1941), Maryland State Senator
Jill Mulvay Derr (b. 1948), American history professor
Helen Elizabeth Clark Derr (1918-2011), American nationally recognized journalist, religion writer, and editor
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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 2017, April 12) P. Derr. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) Mildred Derr. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) John Derr. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) Charles Derr. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html