Dehre History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Dehre

What does the name Dehre mean?

The bountiful region surrounding the Rhine river is the birthplace of the name Dehre. 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 Dehre was given to someone who lived on or near muddy land. The name Dehre 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 Dehre family

The surname Dehre 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 Dehre family

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

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

Early Notables of the Dehre family

Petrus Dehren, who founded the monastery Gnadenthal in the 13th century

Migration of the Dehre family

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 Dehre were among of the early German families that came to North America: Julius Dehr came to Philadelphia in 1732; Conrad Derr arrived in Philadelphia in 1750; Jacob Derr settled in Philadelphia in 1879; Michael Derr settled in Pennsylvania in 1773.