Roder, Reader, Reeder, Rader! What Does the Name Mean?

THE LITERAL MEANING OF RADER-RÖDER.
The name “RÖDER” translates from German to English as “clearer of the woods”, or broadly speaking, “keeper of the land” or “farmer”. Many of the RADERS were farmers until the twentieth century. The modern name “RADER” translates to “wheel maker”.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE RÖDER-RADER NAME.
The spelling of the RADER family name developed a great many variations from the original RÖDER name found in the German records dating back to 1703. Anyone familiar with the German language will readily understand this problem. To an Englishman, the letter “o” with the umlaut (ö) spoken in German carries roughly as the sound of the English long “a” as in late. AND the “d” carries a slightly modified sound. (Ask a German to pronounce “RÖDER” for you). As a result of this problem, and the efforts of various branches of the family either to preserve the original pronunciation in English spelling or to adapt to an English pronunciation from the German, many variations of spelling arose, i.e. RÖEDER, ROEDER (Most common in Pennsylvania), RAEDER, RAIDER, READER, REDER, REIDER, REIMER, RIDER, RYDER, to name a few.15 Of interest, there are two different spellings of READER and several spellings for the name PAINTER in the deed for the Rader Lutheran Church20 in Timberville VA and over 110 different spellings have been found in various documents in the country (see page 296). Since many of the spellings are the same as existing names, research and documentation is some cases is very difficult (see page 297). A greater challenge is in determining the correct given name since each family in every generation had children with the same given name: Adam, Henry, John, William, etc.37 More than 90 Johns and over 80 Williams in fourteen generations in some family lines are on record at this date (1987)307 Regarding variations in the spelling or pronouncing of the RADER name, few people can say or spell “RADER” without assistance today.
“It has been said the early office holders in Virginia, like those recording history, were either English or of English extraction who did not know, in most instances, how to spell the name of early German settlers and did not care to learn how to spell the ‘foreigners’ names. Further, they were prejudiced in favor of the English. It appears Daniel Boone, having a good English name received credit for many things actually done by the Germans.”

A SEED-BED OF THE REPUBLIC.
About 1830, the spelling of Rader (and other names) became quite consistent in Va. These records, beside showing the name, listed the amounts and types of owned (taxed), e.g. a slave, a cow, or a horse, and sometimes buildings or the amount of land. Census taking (and takers) seemed to do much toward standardizing last names, possibly because the census takers and tax collectors were become more familiar with such German names as RADER. Also, some RADERS (and others) wer becoming better educated.
One of the most extreme cases of name variation is found in the New Goshenhoppen Church Records: “Anna Marg. Raehder, daughter of the late Adam Reder.” Of interest is the fact that many members of the family who remained in Pennsylvania retained the ROEDER spelling.

ABSTRACTS OF LAND SURVEYS
1761-1791 gives and excellent overview of the standardization of the RADER name, and shows the close proximity in which ADAM, MATHIAS, ANTHONY and GEORGE lived.345 (This was (3) ADAM, the father of MATHIAS, ANTHONY and GEORGE).
1765 Andrew Whitenlough adjoining George Reeders.
1765 Adam Rider adjoining Mathias Roads. (Mathias Rader)
1769 John Bear adjoining George Raders.
1773 Adam Rader adjoining his own land.
1780 Anthony Reader adjoining Adam Reader.
1783 Michael Rader assignee of Andrew Hudlow.
1783 David Miller adjoining Adam Raders.
1785 Joseph Rambo adjoining Michael Raiders.
1789 Jacob Hufft adjoining Adam Rader
1789 Louis Fuller adjoining Mathew Rader.
1791 William Herring adjoining George Rader and Adam Rader.
1790 Anthony Rader adjoining Adam Rader.

(Exerpt from William and June Rader's book)