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Schroeder Family History
SCHROEDER
This surname is of North German origin, deriving from the Low German word ‘schröden’ which means to cut. Thus the occupation referred to would be that of a tailor or maker of garments; however, it is possible that other trades requiring cutting attracted the surname, such as cloth/material cutter, leather cutter and so-on. Schröder is an equivalent German form, and there are variants such as Schrödter, Schröter et. al.
The German surname was established early in the north, and is still concentrated in the provinces of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen and Schleswig-Holstein. The name is now spread throughout central and eastern Europe.
Arriving as immigrants from the mid 18th century, together with other German families, in New York and Pennsylvania, Schroeders settled in some numbers in Illinois (1207 families) and Wisconsin (951 families). These figures are taken from the U.S. Federal Census of 1920.
Today in the U.S.A the surname ranks at 450th with a population of 66, 412 (Source: U.S. Census Bureau).
Siebmacher’s ‘Wappenbuch’ (1st published 1605) has three coats of arms for Schröder, including a blazon of a pelican, proper, on a white field, carrying a red hunting horn, proper with strap, shown in the lower part of the shield against a blue background; the hunting horn, with a gold strap, is borne in the crest.
Two famous Schroeders
Gerhard Schröder (b.1944): born in Dertmold, Germany, he was chancellor of Germany between 1998-2005. Schröder was a lawyer from Hannover, first elected to the Bundestag in 1980. He led the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient (1804-1860): born in Hamburg, she was a renowned German soprano in her time famous for her portrayals of the great German roles, such as Leonore in Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’ and Venus in Wagner’s ‘Tannhäuser’. Wagner attributed to her his ‘awakening’ in music.
