Clan Rising

Schröder

also Schroeder, Schröter

The northern tailor — the cutter of the Low German plain.

Origin
German
Famous bearer
Gerhard Schröder (b. 1944), Chancellor of Germany 1998–2005
Register
German family

The seat of Schröder

Seat vacant

Chief

No one leads the Schröder community yet. When the movement opens, you can stand for its leadership, or help elect whoever does.

Current mission

No shared goal set yet. Once Schröder has leadership, it sets the public focus: a restoration, a gathering, a real-world project that helps its own.

The Schröder clan is being rebuilt. Join the waiting list for the movement today, and you help decide who leads it and what it does.

Help rebuild the Schröder clan →

What does the Schröder name mean?

A Low German trade-name of the northern plain — in most districts a tailor (from schroden, to cut), the northern counterpart of the upper-German Schneider. The spelling Schroeder carries it into the diaspora.

The history of Schröder

Where the south says Schneider, the north says Schröder: the same cutting of cloth, named in Low German. It belongs to the northern plain, from Westphalia across to Mecklenburg, and went west with the heavy north-German emigration to America, usually as Schroeder.

Its best-known modern bearer is Gerhard Schröder, Chancellor of reunified Germany from 1998 to 2005, a butcher's stepson from Lower Saxony who climbed from real poverty to the chancellery — the kind of ascent the plain trade-names quietly make possible.

Explore With Your Ancestors · Beta

Chat with your Schröder ancestorsWalk in →

Pick any year from 500 to 1945 and any place on earth — the Schröder country, or a shore no Schröder ever reached. The chronicler sets the scene; the deeds are yours.

Notable bearers of the Schröder name

  • Gerhard Schröder (b. 1944), Chancellor of Germany 1998–2005

Frequently asked

What does the surname Schröder mean?

A Low German trade-name of the northern plain — in most districts a tailor (from schroden, to cut), the northern counterpart of the upper-German Schneider. The spelling Schroeder carries it into the diaspora. Where the south says Schneider, the north says Schröder: the same cutting of cloth, named in Low German.

Is Schröder a German surname?

Yes, Schröder is a German surname. Its editorial home in this atlas is German, where the historical territory and family record of the name are concentrated.

How old is the Schröder surname?

Where the south says Schneider, the north says Schröder: the same cutting of cloth, named in Low German. European hereditary surnames crystallised broadly between the 12th and 14th centuries, and the Schröder name took its modern form within that long settlement.

What is the Schröder family known for?

The northern tailor — the cutter of the Low German plain. Where the south says Schneider, the north says Schröder: the same cutting of cloth, named in Low German.

Who is the most famous Schröder?

The best-known bearer of the Schröder name is Gerhard Schröder (b. 1944), Chancellor of Germany 1998–2005. Their life and connection to the family are profiled in full on the dedicated champion page.

Is Schroeder the same family as Schröder?

Yes. Schroeder is a historical spelling variant of the Schröder name. The two share the same lineage and family affiliation; different parishes, clerks and migration registrars recorded the same name in slightly different forms, and the variant spellings sit on the same family tree.

Is Schröter the same family as Schröder?

Yes. Schröter is a historical spelling variant of the Schröder name. The two share the same lineage and family affiliation; different parishes, clerks and migration registrars recorded the same name in slightly different forms, and the variant spellings sit on the same family tree.

Where is the Schröder surname found today?

German is the primary historical home of the Schröder surname. In the modern era, the name is also borne across the wider diaspora, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where families carry the line of descent from the same German origin recorded on this page.

What does the Clan Rising page for the Schröder family cover?

The Clan Rising page for the Schröder family covers the meaning of the surname, the historical geography of the name, famous bearers of the name and the seat of the head of the family. Each section is linked to the underlying atlas of German so the name can be read in the geography that shaped it.

Who is the head of the Schröder family today?

The seat for the head of the Schröder family is currently vacant on this register. Clan Rising is rebuilding the chief and family structure for the modern era, and the family page allows readers to claim the seat or pledge to the name.