Surname Diedrichs - Meaning and Origin

Diedrichs: What does the surname Diedrichs mean?

The surname Diedrichs is of German origin, derived from the given name Richard, which is often shortened to "Dieter" or "Dietrich". The name is most common in the northern areas of Germany and the Netherlands, but also has significant populations in the United States, Canada, and other countries with German emigration.

The literal translation of Diedrichs is "ruler of the people" which symbolizes the importance the surname held. In Germany, the name Diedrichs carried an air of respectability and dignity which earned it a reputation as a prestigious surname.

The Diedrichs family was originally known as farmers and merchants, but since many members of the Diedrichs family emigrated to the United States during the 1800s, their high standing in society followed them. Today, many Diedrichs' descendants are found in business, the military, and the fields of entertainment, art, and athletics. Several statesmen and politicians also bear the name.

No matter where the people bearing the last name Diedrichs migrated or live today, the name is seen as a symbol of strength, power, and tenacity. It carries the proud and accomplished legacy of each generation of the Diedrichs family.

Diedrichs: Where does the name Diedrichs come from?

Diedrichs is a German surname that is still commonly found in Germany today, especially throughout the north of the country. It is also found in some other German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg, as well as parts of the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The origin of the name is believed to come from an old German word meaning "the people of Dietrich". The name was borne by many notable historical figures living throughout present-day German states, as well as in the United States and Canada, thanks to the waves of German emigration throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In the modern age, Diedrichs is still a widely-occurring family name in Germany, with statistics from 2016 stating approximately 4,400 people carrying the surname, with the highest concentrations still in northern Germany. The surname is also recorded in Canada, with the numbers being somewhat lower than in Germany, and in the United States, where the surname is less commonly occurring. In general, the surname is still found around the German-speaking world in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Scandinavia.

Variations of the surname Diedrichs

Diedrichs is a German surname and it can be found in a variety of spellings. Variations of the spelling include Dietrich, Dietrick, Diederich, Diedericks, Diedinks, and Dieterich.

The surnames of the same origin include Diederich, Diechert, Dieterich, Dieter, Dietrich, Diedrick, Dietrick, Diedericks, Diedriches, Dietericks, Diderichs, Didricks, Diedreks, Dietriks, Dietriksen, Dieterik, Tedrichs, and Tyedrichs.

Furthermore, the surname originates from the personal name Thiedrich, which is itself a derivative of the male name Dieter, which is derived from the Germanic root Theud (meaning people or tribe). Variations of the name Diedrich include Dieter, Theodoric, Diet, Dither, and Teodor.

In its most common form, Diedrichs is a Germanic patronymic surname, meaning "son or descendant of Diederich or Dietrich" This surname may also be found among those of Dutch-, French, and Flemish-speaking residents, where it takes the forms Dederick and Dietrick.

The spelling variations of Diedrichs take into account different phonetic or regional influences, so such names are easily recognizable, yet the individual bearers of these surnames often remain unconnected through written genealogical records.

Famous people with the name Diedrichs

• Hermann Diederichs (1865–1930), German publisher
• Edgar Diederichs (1863–1945), German publisher
• Hans-Otto Diederichs (1905–1998), German politician in the Weimar era
• Katharina Diederichs (born 1945), German politician
• Wilhelm Diederichs (1883–1963), German writer and politician
• Uwe Diederichs (born 1959), German broadcaster
• Carsten Diederichs (born 1967), German artist
• Mathias Diederichs (born 1971), German football manager
• Jens-Otto Diederichs (born 1993), German footballer
• Gertrud Diederichs-Eckart (1905–1978), German writer and translator

Other surnames

DiedrichDiedrichkeitDiedrichsenDiedrichsmeier