Szreter

This is a Polish-Prussian and possibly Ashkenazic form of the popular German surname "Schroder or Schroeter". The origin is pre-medieval, the derivation being from the pre 8th century Old High german "Schroten" which translates broadly as "to cut". The surname translation is generally accepted as meaning a maker of leather garments, but this defination was spread to cover shoe making, tailoring, and even that of drayman, one who delivered wine and other liquids in bulk, although this latter description appears to defy logical analysis. Unfortunately Polish records are extremely poor, many ancient rolls being deliberatley destroyed by both the German and the Russian "liberators" in the Second World War. However the East German (Prussian) provide a good base, and examples taken from these show the name development. These include Conrad Schroter zu Heiligkreuztal in 1297, and Peter Schroeter of Eisensach, Province of Sachsen, in 1532. Later examples were Catharinan Szreyder christened at Konitz, Poland on September 24th 1718, and Barbara Schroetter who married Petri Schroeter, at Robaren, Olsztynskiego, on November 11th 1771, and she at least would have had little trouble in spelling her "new" name! Lastly we have the recording of Andreas Szreda or Szreida, christened at Maggrabowa, Ostpruessen, on May 5th 1825. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Rutholf Scrodir, which was dated 1150, the scrolls and land registry of the city of Koln, Germany, during the reign of Emperor Conrad 111 of the German Empire, 1138 - 1152. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.