The historic German region of
Prussia was the original home of the name Heinricke. Heinricke was a
local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, which often used the prefix "von," meaning "of" or "from," in some cases a mark of aristocratic birth.
Local names are by far the most common type of German hereditary surname. Heinricke was a name for someone who lived in many places throughout
Prussia. The surname Heinricke was created from the widespread and popular Christian name
Heinrich. According to some, the name comes from
heim, and
rich, meaning "ruler of the home."
Early Origins of the Heinricke family
The surname Heinricke was first found in
Prussia, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the political conflicts of the area. The family branched into many houses, many of which acquired estates and manors throughout the surrounding regions, where they played significant roles in the social and political affairs. The name became popular from its use among many Germanic Emperors and nobles. Most noted among these were Heinrich I (der Vogler) and Heinrich II, both of whom are also holy figures. Others include Heinrich VII of Luxemburg and Prince Heinrich the Lion of Brunswick. Individual bearers of the family name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Heinrich Heymrich of Kassel in 1368.
Early History of the Heinricke family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heinricke research.
Another 661 words (47 lines of text) covering the years 1738, 1760, 1631, 1654, 1805, 1781 and 1861 are included under the topic Early Heinricke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Heinricke 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 Heinricke include Heinrich, Heinreich, Heinrick, Heinricke, Heinrichs, Heinritz, Heimrich, Heimreich, Heimrick, Heimricke, Heimrichs, Heimritz, Hinerich, Hinerick, Hinereich, Hinericke, Hinerichs, Hinreich, Hinrich, Hinrick, Hinricke, Hinrichs, Hinritz, Hennerich, Hennericks, Hennereich and many more.
Early Notables of the Heinricke family (pre 1700)
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Heinricke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Heinricke family to the New World and Oceana
Much of German history has been shaped by the state of
Prussia. It was an enduring military power until after the Second World War. At that time, the state was abolished altogether and its land divided between the
Soviet Union, Poland, East
Germany and West
Germany. While some Prussians were content to remain in those countries, others moved away, many of them migrating to North America. They entered the United States mostly through Philadelphia, moving on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others went to Canada, settling on the prairies and in the province of Ontario. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were: Johann Heinrich, who settled in America in 1709 as well as Georg Heinrich, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1731.