Show ContentsReichardt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Reichardt is a Bavarian nickname surname. German nicknames came from eke-names, or added names, and tended to describe a physical characteristic or other attribute of their initial bearer. Reichardt is a name for a brave or strong person. It is a common name among the English, French, and Flemish/Dutch communities, as well as the German, and stems from the words ric, meaning power, and hard, meaning hardy or strong.

Early Origins of the Reichardt family

The surname Reichardt was first found in Bavaria, where the name became noted for its many branches within the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied and enrolled by the princes of the region. The literal meaning of the name is "brave ruler," and chronicles first mention Hantsch Richard of Liegnitz in 1381, and Hans Reichart of Friedland in 1381. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Reichardt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reichardt research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1560, 1733, 1749, 1752 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Reichardt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reichardt Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Reichardt include Reichhard, Reichhart, Reichard, Reichart, Reichardt, Reickhard, Reichheart, Reikhard, Reickhart, Richard, Reichert and many more.

Early Notables of the Reichardt family

Prominent among members of the name Reichardt in this period include

  • Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752-1814), who was the court composer and conductor to Frederick the Great and Frederick II, and was a friend of Goethe's...


United States Reichardt 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 provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Reichardt Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joseph Reichardt, who sailed to New York in 1709
  • Joseph Reichardt, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 [1]
  • Georg Nikolaus Reichardt, who landed in America in 1783 [1]
Reichardt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Caroline Reichardt, who landed in Brazil in 1840 [1]
  • Augusta Reichardt, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 [1]
  • Friedericke Reichardt, who landed in America in 1854
  • Theodor Weiden Reichardt, who arrived in America in 1854 [1]
  • Frederick Reichardt, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1855 [1]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Reichardt (post 1700) +

  • Maybelle Reichardt (1907-1999), American Olympic track and field athlete
  • Carl E. Reichardt (b. 1931), retired American business executive
  • Nancy M. Reichardt, American nationally syndicated newspaper columnist
  • Louis Reichardt (b. 1942), noted American mountaineer
  • William John Reichardt (1930-2004), American fullback and placekicker
  • Kelly Reichardt, American screenwriter and film director
  • Frederic Carl Reichardt (b. 1943), American Major League outfielder
  • John F. Reichardt, American Republican politician, Member of Michigan Republican State Central Committee, 1979 [2]
  • G. W. Reichardt, American Republican politician, Chair of Chase County Republican Party, 1940 [2]
  • Dirk Reichardt (b. 1964), German composer, sound designer and jingle producer
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Willi Reichardt (1896-1941), German Angestellter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [3]


  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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  3. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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