Raed History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Raed family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Raed 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 Raed family

The surname Raed 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 Raed family

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

Raed 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 Raed include Rad, Raed, Raeder, Rehder, Redder, Rader, Raders, Rade, Radder, Redler, Redl, Raedler, Redler, Radl, Rademacher, Radenmacher and many more.

Early Notables of the Raed family

Prominent among members of the name Raed in this period include

Heinrich Daniel von Raeders (d.1731), born in Westphalia, who became a major-general and commander of the Prussian army in 1716

Raed migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Raed or a variant listed above:

Raed Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Raed, who settled in Virginia in 1656

Contemporary Notables of the name Raed (post 1700) +

Raed Elhamali Holcomb (b. 1979), American professional basketball player