Show ContentsRademacher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Rademacher

What does the name Rademacher mean?

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

The surname Rademacher 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 Rademacher family

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

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

Early Notables of the Rademacher family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rademacher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rademacher Ranking

In the United States, the name Rademacher is the 6,473rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


Rademacher 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:

Rademacher Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Peter Rademacher, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 2
  • Johan Michael Rademacher, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1769 2
  • Bernhard Rademacher, who settled in Winterhill, Massachusetts in 1778
  • Bernh Rademacher, who arrived in America in 1778 2
  • Conrad Rademacher, who landed in America in 1780 2
Rademacher Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • H Rademacher, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 2
  • Carsten Rademacher, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 2
  • Anna Rosina Rademacher, aged 24, who landed in America in 1839 2
  • M Cath Rademacher, who arrived in America in 1846 2
  • A Adelheid Rademacher, who landed in America in 1848 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rademacher (post 1700) +

  • Ingo Rademacher (b. 1971), German-born, American based Australian television actor
  • Erich "Ete" Rademacher (1901-1979), German three-time gold and two-time silver medalist swimmer and water polo player and breaststroke swimmer at the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics
  • Hans Adolph Rademacher (1892-1969), German mathematician, known for his work in mathematical analysis and number theory who developed the Rademacher distribution and Rademacher's theorem
  • Rudolf Rademacher, German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe, during World War II, credited with 126 aerial victories, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Bismarck
  • Erich Rademacher (1923-1941), German Matrose IV Funk 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. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  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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