Show ContentsRichters History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

A multitude of prestigious family names, such as the surname Richters, were formed in the lands which became the modern German state of Prussia, which is known for its beauty, industry and military power. However, in the medieval era, Prussia was fragmented and inhabited by numerous barbarian tribes, who fought amongst themselves for control of the land. The borders of the barbarian kingdoms, which were established after the fall of the Roman Empire, changed repeatedly. The region that came to be known as Prussia was roughly divided between the territories of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia and East Prussia. The Richters family emerged in Brandenburg-Prussia, and by the 19th century, Brandenburg-Prussia had incorporated East Prussia, West Prussia and many other German territories. Moreover, in the late 19th century, it led the German states in the German Unification.

Early Origins of the Richters family

The surname Richters was first found in Brandenburg, where this family became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the feudal system.

Early History of the Richters family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Richters research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1676, 1682, 1702, 1711, 1732, 1749, 1755, 1763, 1767, 1803, 1813, 1825 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Richters History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richters Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Richters include Richter, Ricter, Rickter, Rychter, Rycter and many more.

Early Notables of the Richters family

Notable figures of the time with the name Richters were Christoph, or Christian, Friedrich Richter (1676-1711), a German hymnwriter and entomologist; and Johann Paul Richter (1763-1825), one of the most important and popular German writers of the early 19th century. He is known universally as "Jean Paul." Joseph Richter (1749-1813) was a satirical Viennese journalist. Ludwig Richter...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Richters Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Richters migration to the United States +

Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Richters were

Richters Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Hendrik Richters, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1663 [1]
Richters Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • M Cath Richters, aged 32, who arrived in America in 1837 [1]
  • Anton Richters, who arrived in America in 1845 [1]
  • John Peter Richters, aged 31, who landed in Missouri in 1846 [1]
  • Magdalena Richters, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 [1]
  • Adelheid Richters, who arrived in America in 1848 [1]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  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)


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