Surname Didericks - Meaning and Origin
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Didericks: What does the surname Didericks mean?
The last name Didericks is a Dutch patronymic surname, meaning “son of Didrick.” The given name Didrick was a medieval form of the personal name Didrik, which is a Germanic name composed of the elements thiod, meaning “people” or “race” and ric, meaning “power” or “rule.” Therefore, the literal translation of Didrick is “the powerful ruler of the people.”
The surname Didericks is very common in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, and is often spelled differently in those countries, such as Diedericks, Diehdrich, Dietrich, Dieterich, Teutich, Teusch and Teuseling. Various variations also exist in North America.
Most of the earliest Didericks immigrants to settle in North America were Dutch in origin, coming by ship in the 1600s and 1700s in search of a better life and economic opportunity. Over the course of three hundred years, these early immigrants gradually moved across the continent and spread out into small towns and villages.
Today, the descendants of the early Didericks immigrants are found all across the United States and Canada. In the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, this surname is still very common, with over one hundred thousand people having the surname Didericks in all three countries combined.
Order DNA origin analysisDidericks: Where does the name Didericks come from?
The last name Didericks is most commonly seen in the Netherlands. It is a patronymic surname derived from the Middle Dutch, meaning "son of Didderik," the Germanic personal name made up of elements meaning "people" and "kingly power, rule." The last name was popular in the Netherlands during the 14th century. It is found throughout the country, from the outermost points of the Dutch Province of Zeeland to the region of Drenthe in the northeast.
Today, Didericks is one of the most common surnames in the Netherlands. According to recent research, it is the 66th most common surname in the country with over 61,000 people bearing the name. Although the name is found in other countries as well, like the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium, it is most common in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands, people with the surname Didericks come from all walks of life, with some having worked in trades such as blacksmithing or carpentry while others have become prominent public figures, such as the Dutch Prime Minister Wilhelmina Didericks-Van Assen in 1949.
The utmost concentration of people with the last name Didericks lives in the provinces of Zuid-Holland and Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands. About 10% to 20% of all Didericks in the world are located in and around these two provinces. The largest cities with a presence of people bearing this name are Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, and Tilburg.
Variations of the surname Didericks
The surname Didericks is a variation of the name Diderik or Diederick, two forms of the Dutch male given name Dirk, which was a popular name throughout Medieval Europe. The name Dirk derived from the Old Germanic name Theodoric, and meant ‘people’s ruler’ or ‘ruler of the people’.
The surname is found in various spellings such as Diderik, Didarick, Dedrik, Dedrick, Diederik, Diederikx, Didrik, Diderix, Didriks and Diderics. It is also related to the surnames Dieters, Dieterich, Diederich, Diderichs, Didrichs, and Tedderick.
Variations of the name Didericks are widespread in Holland and other Germanic countries, and have spread across the world due to emigration and immigration. The British variant, Derrick, is fairly common throughout the United Kingdom, and this variant is also thought to be found in North America.
In some cases the spelling of Didericks has changed with the times, with some families opting for modernised spellings in order to adopt the current trend. Other variants are less common, with some the old spellings rarely seen in use today.
Overall, the surname Didericks and its variants serves as a reminder of the enduring influence of Medieval Europe on many countries and cultures, and of the growing trend of globalisation in contemporary times.
Famous people with the name Didericks
- Eric Didericksen: Danish politician and current Minister for Employment of Denmark.
- Jonathan Didericksen: Canadian actor and producer known for his roles in films such as The Art of War and The Whole Nine Yards.
- Kaj Didericksen: Former Danish football midfielder.
- Carl Didericksen: Former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for Minnesota Twins in 1964 and 1965.
- Daniel Didericksen: Danish entrepreneur and CEO of the online fashion retailer emma.
- Peter Didericksen: Former Danish professional hockey player and current coach for the Danish national ice hockey team.
- Rikke Didericksen: Danish architect and urban designer who has worked on numerous projects within Denmarks cities, including the renovation of Nørreport station in Copenhagen.
- Stig Didericksen: Danish politician and former Minister of Education of Denmark.
- Laura Didericksen: American professional surfer, having won the ISA World Surfing Games in 2019.
- Morten Didericksen: Danish musician and songwriter who has released several acclaimed albums and singles.