Surname Dedericks - Meaning and Origin
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Dedericks: What does the surname Dedericks mean?
The last name Dedericks derives from the Germanic and Dutch names of the medieval period. It is a derivation of the personal name Dedderich, or the Dutch surname Dedderik, which in turn is a form of the Germanic patronymic name Didrik. The name Didrik is composed of two elements, ‘diet’, which means 'people’ or ‘nation’, and ‘rick’, which is a diminutive form of ‘rik’, meaning ‘ruler’ or ‘powerful’. Thus the name carries the meaning “little ruler,” or possibly “ruler of the people”.
Originally, the Dedericks family was a Dutch family of the medieval period descended from the noble families of the area. Later, the name spread to Germany, Switzerland, and France, and from there to the British Isles and the Americas in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Today, the name Dedericks is most common in areas with German or Dutch ancestry, including the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. The name is often used as a surname, but sometimes it can also be seen as a given name as well.
Although there is no one definitive meaning of the name Dedericks, the name has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, as it carries a strong, historical meaning, celebrated by those of Dutch or German descent.
Order DNA origin analysisDedericks: Where does the name Dedericks come from?
The last name Dedericks is most common in the Netherlands today and in some parts of the German-speaking world. It can also be found in countries such as France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, as well as some other European countries.
The surname Dedericks is derived from ancient Germanic personal names, which means it is likely to originate in the Netherlands and Germany, but is now spread around the world. The earliest known reference of the name dates back to 1185 in the Dutch province of Gelderland, where a person by the name Gerhardus Dedrick was recorded.
As of 2021, the surname Dedericks remains most numerous in the Netherlands, with the most high concentrations in the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. An estimated 8,000 people carry the name Dedericks in the Netherlands today, which is 0.03 percent of the population. It is also quite popular in some other parts of Europe, including France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, where around 3,000 people bear the surname.
In the U.S., the last name Dedericks is uncommon, with a total estimated population of under 200 people. It can still be found in pockets of the country, primarily on the East Coast, but again, it is generally a rare name in America.
Overall, while the last name Dedericks is not as common today as it once was, it still remains an important part of Dutch and European history and culture, and carries on in many parts of the world, albeit in small numbers.
Variations of the surname Dedericks
Dedericks is a rare Dutch patronymic surname derived from the given name Diederik, which is a Middle Dutch version of the German name Dietrich, itself coming from the Old High German name Theodoric. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Dédé, Dedric, Dedrick, Dedricks, Dedrik, Dedrix, Dedryk, Dederich, Dederichs, DeDric, DeDrick, DeDricks, DeDrik, DeDriks, DeDryk, DeDryks, Diederich, Diederichs, Dideric, Diderick, Didericks, Diderik, Diderriks, Diedric, Diedrick, Diedricks, Desiderius, Desideria, and Diderik.
Born at the dawn of the 12th century, Theodoric was a Germanic barbarian from the Greuthungi tribe, which was known for its ferocity in battle. Theodoric first rose to fame as a soldier in the Roman army, and eventually became king of the Ostrogoths. Eventually, the name Theodoric evolved into the Middle Dutch form Diederik, from which Dedericks is derived. Over the centuries, the name has been used as a given name among Dutch and Germanic families, giving rise to numerous variants which have been adopted as surnames.
Today, Dedericks is primarily found among Dutch and German immigrants in North America, though variations of the surname can be found in other countries around the world.
Famous people with the name Dedericks
- Jason Dedrick: Professor of Information Systems and Innovation Studies at Syracuse University
- Don Dederick: American draughts (checkers) champion and author
- Janet Dedrick: Co-founder of Got Your Back Network
- Wayne Dederick: Retired managing director of the California State Teachers Retirement System
- Harold Dederick: Former president of financial services company Danversbank
- Peter Dederick: Former president of General Motors Europe
- Laura Dederick: Award-winning artist and book illustrator
- Ray Dederick: Former NFL defensive lineman
- Jon Dederick: Senior associate athletic director at the University of Wisconsin
- Karen Dederick: Senior executive and product strategy advisor