Surname Reichardt - Meaning and Origin
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Reichardt: What does the surname Reichardt mean?
The last name Reichardt is a German and Jewish surname of Ashkenazic origin. Its literal meaning is the "nobleman's hardy soldier", deriving from the German words "reich" meaning nobleman, and "hard" meaning hardy or brave. This surname is found mainly in Germany and Eastern Europe, and is also listed in other countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The term Reichardt first appeared in records shortly after 1500. This surname was an occupational name for a soldier who guards a count or baron; as a profession it involved a tradition of providing service as a soldier for a feudal landholder. Reichardt is also an occasionally used first name; most likely derived from a variant of Richard.
Reichardt is considered an uncommon surname today, however it does still appear throughout Eastern Europe, Germany, and other Western countries. It is still seen mainly in Germany, Eastern Europe, and the United States, and variations of this surname include Reichhart, Reichhard, Rechard, and Riccardi.
Overall, the surname Reichardt is a reminder of its proud and enduring heritage and family history. It is a reminder of bravery, loyalty, and a sense of duty, qualities that have been passed down from generation to generation.
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Order DNA origin analysisReichardt: Where does the name Reichardt come from?
The last name Reichardt is most common in Germany today, particularly in the states of Saxony and Thuringia. It is also found in Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy. It has spread more broadly throughout Europe due to population movements over the centuries, so could be more widely found in European countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia or France.
The name is especially common among German Mennonites, probably because some of the first founder families of the German Mennonite church carried this name.
Further afield, the surname Reichardt is found in the United States, primarily in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and New York. These areas were settled by German immigrants during colonial times and now their descendants could be spread across the whole country.
Reichardt is not a particularly common name outside Europe and the US. It is sometimes found in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada, but this would be linked to larger-scale emigration from Germany during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Variations of the surname Reichardt
Reichardt is a German surname with several variants, spellings and other forms of the same origin. Variants of the surname Reichardt include, but are not limited to, the following: Reichart, Reichhardt, Reichhard, Reichhardo, Reychardt, Reychard, Reichert, Reicherd, Reicher, Reichenberger, Reicker, Riechert, Riecher, Riechhardt, Rieckert, Rickard, Rickert, Richardt, Richardth and Ryckardt.
The variations of the surname may reflect regional dialects, or reflect a misspelling in official documents such as parish records. In some cases, the surname Reichardt may form part of a hyphenated surname, possibly reflecting dual ethnicities of a marriage union.
Other variants of the surname Reichardt can be seen in spelling errors from hand-written census records. These variations may include: Reichort, Reihard, Rhihard, Reichart, Reihardt, Richart, Recherd, Richerdt, Rechert, Richtert, Richter, Richer, Riecher, Reichhmann, Reichman, Reichmann, Reichhn, Reickart, Reichert, Reichold, Reichel, Reichels, Reichhels, Reichell, Reichelson, Reicherson and Reichersdorfer.
Variations of the surname Reichardt may also reflect the original spelling of the name, which can often be seen in signatures and other records. These names may include: Reichard, Rechtard, Rechter, Rechtter, Reuter, Richter, Retter, Reichter and Richterin.
Famous people with the name Reichardt
- Robert Reichardt: An American businessman who served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Visa U.S.A. from 1996 to 2005, and played a key role in the widespread acceptance of electronic payments.
- Casper Reichardt: A painter and drawing artist who is known for his lightning-fast drawings of friends, family and everyday scenes.
- Emil Reichardt: A German Romantic composer, music theorist, violinist and singer, who wrote a number of lieder and operas.
- Peter Reichardt: A right-handed batsman who played First-class cricket for Cambridge University Cricket Club, Free Foresters, Cambridge Town Club and Marylebone Cricket Club between 1835 and 1849.
- Randy Reichardt: A retired professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League with the California Seals and Los Angeles Sharks.
- Felix Reichardt: A German entomologist who published a number of monographs on insects in the 18th century.
- Christian Reichardt: A German composer and organist who was active in the early 19th century.
- Valentin Reichardt: A German composer who lived between 1770 and 1834.
- Ulrich Reichardt: A German actor who has appeared in various television shows, films and theatre productions.
- Kevin Reichardt: An American physician and Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and when Women’s Health at the University of New Mexico.