Raeder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

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

The surname Raeder 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 Raeder family

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

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

Early Notables of the Raeder family

Prominent among members of the name Raeder 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

Raeder 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:

Raeder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mathaeus Raeder, who arrived in America in 1760 1

Raeder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Raeder, and they were preceded by Philip Raeder in 1842
Christian Raeder, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1844

Raeder migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Raeder Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Felix Raeder, (b. 1850), aged 22, German farm labourer travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Raeder (post 1700) +

Florence Raeder, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1944 (alternate), 1948 (alternate), 1952 3
Johan Christopher Raeder (1782-1853), Norwegian military officer. He was of German and Danish descent, and partly served in the Danish army
Erich Raeder (1876-1960), German naval commander
Nicolai Ditlev Ammon Raeder (1817-1884), Norwegian jurist and politician
Carl Gustav Valdemar Raeder (1837-1887), Danish farmer and writer
Oscar Alexander Raeder (1844-1877), Danish writer
Einar Raeder (1896-1976), Norwegian long jumper
Johan Christopher Raeder (1859-1943), Norwegian military officer
Johan Georg Alexius Raeder (1905-1981), Norwegian diplomat
Johan Georg Raeder (1889-1959), Norwegian ophthalmologist known for his studies on glaucoma
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Raeder family +

Bismarck

Heinz Raeder (1918-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4

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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details