Rader History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

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

The surname Rader 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 Rader family

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

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

Early Notables of the Rader family

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

Rader Ranking

In the United States, the name Rader is the 2,171^st most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1

Rader migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Rader or a variant listed above:

Rader Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Joane Rader, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 2

Rader Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Regina Rader, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 2
Georg Rader, who landed in America in 1848 2
Hanny Rader, aged 55, who landed in America, in 1893
Alp Rader, aged 19, who landed in America, in 1894

Rader Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

David Rader, aged 38, who immigrated to the United States, in 1904
Dome Rader, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1906
Frederike Rader, aged 56, who immigrated to America from Thorn, Germany, in 1911
Auguste Rader, aged 18, who landed in America from Ostheim, Germany, in 1912
Emilie Rader, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Hamburg, Germany, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rader (post 1700) +

Paul Rader (b. 1934), American General leader of the Salvation Army from 1994 to 1999
Douglas Lee "The Red Rooster" Rader (b. 1944), American professional Major League Baseball player
David Martin Rader (b. 1948), American professional Major League Baseball catcher
Randall R. Rader (b. 1949), American lawyer, law professor and a federal judge
Frank Rader (1848-1897), American politician, who served as Mayor of Los Angeles (1894-1896)
Dave Rader (b. 1957), American football player and coach
John V. Rader, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Virginia, 1956 3
John L. Rader (b. 1927), American politician, Member of Alaska State House of Representatives, 1961-66 3
Frank Rader (1848-1897), American Republican politician, Mayor of Los Angeles, California, 1894-96 3
Betsy Rader, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1996 3
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html