Surname Dedrichs - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'D'
Dedrichs: What does the surname Dedrichs mean?
The last name Dedrichs is of German origin and is thought to have originated in the Rhineland area, which is located in western Germany. The name is derived from the personal name Theodorich, of which the literal translation is "ruler of the people". As such, it can be assumed that those with the surname Dedrichs may have descended from an ancestral family who had achieved a higher social standing and its surname may have then become a signifier of that standing.
The name could have been further used to distinguish family members, rather than just a singular patriarch, as its suffix -richs implies multiple rulers or individuals in power. In other versions of the surname, "Teodoro" is used instead of "Theodorich", which is the Italianized form of Theodorich.
The name Dedrichs is quite uncommon in the United States, but more common in Germany. Today, people with this surname can also be found in various European countries, especially in France and the Netherlands, but also in countries such as the United Kingdom.
Therefore, the overall meaning of the surname Dedrichs could be interpreted as a signifier of a family of rulers, or of high social standing.
Order DNA origin analysisDedrichs: Where does the name Dedrichs come from?
The last name Dedrichs is most commonly found in Germany and Southeastern Europe today. This surname was first documented in areas of German-speaking Europe, namely what is now the present-day states of Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Czech Republic, up to two centuries ago. Spelling variants of the surname, which often depend on the country of origin, include Dedrich, Dedric, Dedrichs, Dedricks, Dedrik, Dedriks, Diedrich, Didrik, Diderich, Diderik, Dedricus, Detric and others.
The last name Dedrichs is derived from the given name Dietrich, which is a form of the Old High German name Theodoric (‘people's ruler’). It is also the Low German, Dutch, English, and Scandinavian form of the ancient Germanic name Theodoric, a combination of two words: theos, meaning 'God', and ric, meaning 'power'. The surname found in Germany is most commonly associated with the Knights of the Teutonic Order, whose forces could be found in Southeastern Europe in modern day Poland and Lithuania, as well as Germany and Switzerland.
In more recent decades immigration has spread out those of this last name, with Dedrichs families taking up residence in the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere. While the last name Dedrichs is not common in many places today, the names Didrickson, Dedrick, and Diedrich are less uncommon variants of the same name, making it easier to find related individuals.
Variations of the surname Dedrichs
The surname Dedrichs is believed to have originated from Germany and is derived from the German personal name Diederich, a combination of the ancient German words meaning “people” and “ruler”. Over the years, the name has evolved into several different variants, spellings and surnames, including Dedrich, Dedrieck, Dedrik, Diedrich, Diedrichs, Dietrich, Didrickson, and Tietrichs.
The Dedrichs surname has been known to exist as early as the 16th century in Germany. It was adopted by many immigrants who moved to the United States, Canada, and Australia, where the spelling has evolved to include variants such as Dedrichs, Dedricks, and Dedrickson.
Much later, in the 19th century, Dedrichs and other variants of the name began to be adopted by members of the Dutch, Scandinavian, and Norwegian immigrant communities in the United States. In these cases, the spelling variants such as Diederich, Dieterich, Detrich, Deeterich, and Dederichs emerged.
In addition, there are numerous other surnames that have evolved from the same German origin as Dedrichs, including Diederichsen, Dietrichsen, Deeter, and Dietert. These variations are mainly found in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
Despite their various spellings, all of these surnames are believed to be derived from the same source—the ancient German name Diederich, which translates to "people ruler".
Famous people with the name Dedrichs
- Lidia Dedrichs, a German economist and co-founder of the German Green Party
- Ursula Dedrichs-Seibel, an award-winning German-born, French-based cellist
- Heidi Dedrichs, a German composer and pianist
- Wilfried Dedrichs, a German businessman and entrepreneur
- Nikolaus Dedrichs, a Swiss entrepreneur and author
- Lars Dedrichs, a German banker and consultant
- Jakob Dedrichs, a Swiss historian, author and professor
- Heinrich Dedrichs, a German industrialist and philanthropist
- Josephine Dedrichs, a German artist and sculptor
- Christian Dedrichs, a German philosopher, literary scholar and university professor