my family treemy family treeheydrich, hedrick, headrick
description of the symbols and colorings of
the hedrick coat of arms
armorial coat: Heddrich or Hedrick. Field of sable and gules , a fesse argent charged with three roses or gules.
sable : Top area of shield is black, denotes constancy.
gules: Lower area of shield is red, with parallel vertical lines. Denotes military fortitude and magnanimity. It is also the color of the martyrs.
fesse : The band drawn horizontally across the center of the shield and emblazoned with three red roses. One of the nine honorable ordinaries, a charge of constant service.
argent : White or silver, signified peace and sincerity.
armor : Weapon of defense; to fortify in a moral sense.
crest: " Bearded man standing crowned with rose vines au natural, covered with fules, his forearms bare, holding in his right hand a bare fish." The fish was the symbol of Christ in early Christian art.
The family name is known to have existed in Germany between 1200 and 1300. For the origin and the meaning of the name Hedrick (spelled Heddrich at that time) there are two explanations. In the old high German the name was Hadurich, meaning "Prince of the Battle." The name Hadu is also found in the name Hedwig. The other explanation would be, " Leader of the Heath", or "Heath Prince."
Members of the Hedrick family were among the earlier settlers in this country. The family name, with variations in spelling, is quite common in Pennsylvania. Some variations in the spelling of the name are: Hedderich, Heddrich, Hydrich, Heydrich, Hedrick, and Headrick. That is just to name a very few.
The first official census in this country was taken in 1790. In this census there are more than a dozen variations in the spelling of the name Hedrick. In many cases English speaking clerks wrote down what the name sounded like to them, and in other instances the immigrants formed their own English spelling. Thus causing the spelling to change many times.
coming to america
In the early 1700's many people migrated to America, including our Hedrick (Headrick) ancestors. Most of them came from the Palatinate area of Germany. One of the reasons for leaving Germany was, they had suffered cruel persecution as Protestants under Roman Catholic rulers of their homeland. Another reason was, King Louis XIV of France sent his invading troops into the rich farms of the Rhineland Palatine of Germany. They were literally driven off, and there was n effort to colonize it by France. Many seized what they could, and fled by way of Holland and England to America.
The Hedrick family, of German descent, was among the early settlers in America. One of the first arrivals seems to have been that of Karl Heddrick. He landed in Philadelphia on the ship "Elizabeth" August 27,1733. He brought with him his wife and four children, one of which was dead on arrival. Many Hetricks in PA. trace their origin to him and to John Wilhelm Hetrick, who arrived a few years later. Records show that Johan Peter Hedrick landed in Philadelphia from Germany September 11,1738, on a ship by the name of "Robert & Oliver". Also on this ship was a man named Christopher Hedrick. Johan Peter Hedrick brought his wife and family with him, two of his sons Captain Peter Hedrick and Adam Hedrick, migrated to North Carolina about 1755, where they became illustrious patriots and Christian leaders among the early settlers in what is now Davidson County.
my hey - headrick surname list
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This page last updated June 20, 2000
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