Surname Großerichter - Meaning and Origin
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Großerichter: What does the surname Großerichter mean?
The last name Großerichter is of Germanic origin and typically derived from the profession of an officiating judge. This name likely originated with people who held judicial positions such as the Senior Court Judge in certain German townships during the Middle Ages. It likely also refers to a kind of steward or servant of the law, and derived from the German words “Grosser” which means “big or great” and “ Richter” that means “judge”.
This type of surname indicates that a person held a role of power and authority in a given time or place. Großerichter people were respected members of society with the title of "Ehrbarkeit" or “honorable” given to them. Depending on the region, this job could have provided them with important social, political, and legal responsibilities.
Today, the last name is still relatively common in Germany. In the US, the surname Großerichter is most frequently found in Pennsylvania, though it is not an overly common name overall.
Whether their lineages date back to the Middle Ages or have been updated over time, most Großerichter families value their longstanding heritage and take pride in their Germanic roots and traditions.
Order DNA origin analysisGroßerichter: Where does the name Großerichter come from?
Today, the last name Großerichter is most common in Germany. It is also found in parts of Austria and the Czech Republic. The name is most frequent in the German states of Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, as well as in the Austrian state of Styria.
The progenitor of this surname was a man either named or nicknamed Grosserichter, which means "great judge". This was probably a title denoting an elder or a leader. This role was often filled by a noble or a village headman. During the Middle Ages, Germany was largely a decentralized society with many small, independent villages. Thus, the origination of the Großerichter family name likely arose in the context of a smaller rural community in which one man took on this title and his descendants took the name in recognition of him. The name is thus found more frequently in regions that experienced little migration since the Medieval period, such as Bavaria and Styria.
According to the German telephone directory, there are currently 1,279 Großerichter households living in Germany. The name appears to be dying out, however, since the number of households dropped from 1,441 in 2009 to its current level. This could indicate that those who bear the name tend to have fewer children than the average.
Variations of the surname Großerichter
The Großerichter surname is derived from a German noun meaning "high justice". Variations of it include Grosse-Richter, Grosserichter, Grosserichter, Großrichter, Grossrichter, Groß Richer, Grosser Richer, Grosser Richer, Grosrichter and Grosse Richter.
In terms of spelling variants, the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) suggests that "Grosse-Richter" and "Grosserichter" are interchangeable, as is "Grossrichter" and "Großrichter." Other spelling variations include "Großerricher", "Grosser Richter", "Grosse Richter" and "Grosrichter", all of which are easily distinguishable from one another.
Each spelling variant of the Großerichter surname has its own set of variant surnames. The most common surnames derived from the Großerichter name are Gros-Richer, Grosser Richer, Grosserichter, Groß Richer, Großerichter, Großricht, Grosrichter and Grosser Richter.
In Germany, there is also a common variant spelling of the surname, "Richert", which possibly originated as an occupational surname for a judge. The German-language surnames derived from the "Richert" spelling include Richert, Richtert, Richtter, Richertt, Richrt, Richret, Richrett, Richre and Richrecht.
In Switzerland, a variant spelling is "Richer", from which the surnames Richer, Richar, Richard, Richarz and Richartz are derived. Other related surnames to the Großerichter surname include Kiehrich, Rikehrich, Kicherich, Richermacher, Kriechrich and Rikrich.
Overall, the Großerichter surname has many spelling variations, and these spelling variations can create a variety of surnames with a common origin.
Famous people with the name Großerichter
- Maria Großerichter-Sandberg: Maria is a German Olympic swimmer who won gold medals in swimming at the 1972 Munich Olympics as part of the East German team.
- Erich Großerichter: Erich was a German politician and a leader of the Social Democratic Party since 1967.
- Ulrike Großerichter: Ulrike is a German actress who worked mostly on television. She is best known for her roles in the German TV series "Letzte Ausfahrt: Eichwald" and "Sturm der Liebe".
- Michael Großerichter: Michael is a German composer and conductor. He studied classical and contemporary music and has composed for many films, plays and symphonies.
- Gustav Großerichter: Gustav was a German field marshal during the First World War and served the German Army with distinction.
- Christoph Großerichter: Christoph is a German businessman who has held senior roles in a number of German companies, such as BASF and Deutsche Bank.
- Charles Großerichter: Charles was a German painter who explored the European Realist style of painting, producing some of the most iconic works of this genre.
- Friedrich Großerichter: Friedrich was a German writer and poet from the 19th century who wrote about a variety of topics related to the everyday lives of working-class people.
- Sebastian Großerichter: Sebastian is a German musician and composer. He has composed music for various films and theatrical pieces and released a number of solo albums.
- Johannes Großerichter: Johannes is a German scholar and professor who specializes in the theories of philosophical pragmatism.