Emmerich, Emmrich, Emerich, Emrich, Emmerick, Emerick, Emmerik, Emerik, Aemerich, Aemerik Surnames

Emerich
Variant spelling of German Emmerich.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4

Emmerich
from a Germanic personal name composed of Old High German heim ‘home’, ‘house’ or amal ‘strength’ + rihhi ‘powerful’, ‘rich’.
habitational name from any of the places on the Lower Rhine named Emmerich.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4

Origin
The Emmerich surname comes from the baptismal name Emmerich, which was originally derived from the Old German word that means ruler.

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Emmerich include Emmerich, Emmrich, Emerich, Emrich, Emmerick, Emerick, Emmerik, Emerik, Aemerich, Aemerik and many more.

First found in the Rhine region, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. The name may have its origin in the ancient Roman colony of Embrika or Emrik, mentioned as early as the 7th century, which became a possession of Brandenburg in 1609. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Emmerich, or one of its variants above: Charles Emmerich, who settled in Philadelphia in 1868; J.H. Emmerich, who settled in Texas in 1846; Johannes Emmerich, who settled in New York, N.Y. between 1709 and 1710.