Recorded in over sixty spellings including Derrick and Derek (English), Delius, Dietrich, Dittrich Dietreich, Diderich, Dork, Diede, Diehl, Diehlenn, Diehlmann, Dilmann (German), Dierckx and Dirks (Flemish), and many others, this interesting and unusual name is pre 7th century Germanic in origin. Derived from the personal name Theodoric, composed of the elements "peudo", meaning people or perhaps race, and "ric", power, it has always been a popular name and surname on the Continent. The earliest namebearer was probably Theodoric, an Ostrogothic leader of the 6th century (circa 454 - 526) who invaded Italy in 488 and established his capital at Ravenna in 493 a.d. The name wwas first introduced into the British Isles in the 15th century, whilst one of the earliest settlers to the New England colonies of America was Victor Derrick aged 23. He sailed to Virginia in the ship "Bonaventure", with Captain James Ricrofte, on January 2nd 1634 from the Port of London. Early recordings also include Albrecht Dyel of Eblingen, Germany in 1345, and in England Mary Deryke, of Norwich, Norfolk, in 1545. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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