Heidenreich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Heidenreich

What does the name Heidenreich mean?

A multitude of prestigious family names, such as the surname Heidenreich, were formed in the lands which became the modern German state of Prussia, a place renowned 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 Heidenreich family emerged in Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany. 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 unification of Germany.

Early Origins of the Heidenreich family

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

Early History of the Heidenreich family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heidenreich research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1638, 1688 and 1803 are included under the topic Early Heidenreich History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heidenreich 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 Heidenreich include Heidenreich, Heiddenreich, Heidenrreich, Heidenreiche, Heiddenreiche, Heidenrreiche, Heydenreich, Heyddenreich, Heydenrreich, Heydenreiche, Heyddenrreich, Heydenrreiche, Heydenreick, Haidenreich, Haidenreick, Haidenreiche, Haydenreich, Haydenreicke and many more.

Early Notables of the Heidenreich family

Notable figures of the time with the name Heidenreich were

David Elias Heidenreich (1638-1688), a German poet, dramatist, librettist and translator of the Baroque era

Heidenreich Ranking

In the United States, the name Heidenreich is the 13,498^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Heidenreich migration to the United States +

Since medieval times, the state of Prussia has played an important part in the history of Germany. The state's military powers were historically very strong, and endured until after the Second World War, when the territory was broken up and divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. A spurt of migration followed, with some Prussians going elsewhere in Europe and many others crossing the ocean to North America. Most entered the United States through Philadelphia. Some remained there, while more moved on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others traveled to Canada and settled Ontario and the prairie provinces. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Heidenreich or a variant listed above:

Heidenreich Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bernhard Heidenreich, who landed in Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Element" 2
Fritz Heidenreich who, accompanied by his wife and his sister Johanna, who arrived in New Jersey in 1854
Fritz Heidenreich, who arrived in New Jersey in 1854 2
Clemens Heidenreich who arrived in St. Clair County Illinois in 1860
Clemens Heidenreich, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1860 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Heidenreich (post 1700) +

John Heidenreich, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Presidential Elector for Ohio, 1924 3
James Heidenreich, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1996 3
Henry W. Heidenreich, American politician, Mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, 1920 3
Edward Heidenreich, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1920 3
Maximilian Heidenreich (1967-2024), German football player and manager

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, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html