Schroeder Family

I'm in the early stages of doing some research on my family tree. Here's what I know so far.

(0) Heinrich [Henry] John Schröder
    Born: 1834, Hanover, Germany
    Died: 01 DEC 1885, Tai Tapu, NZ
    + Catherine Anne Shelling
      Born: 1836, Germany?
      Died: 18 SEP 1904, Christchurch, NZ
      Married: , Germany?
      (1) Anna Schröder
          Born: 1868, Germany
      (1) Sophie Schröder
          Born: 1861, Hanover, Germany
          + Joseph Fussell
            Born: 1860, London
            Married: 09 JUL 1884, The Manse, St Andrews, Christchurch
      (1) Maria Anna Schröder
          Born: 1863, Amt, Saeven, Hanover, Germany
          + Diedrick Meierhoff
            Born: 1855, Ulaed, Amt, Haden, Hanover
            Married: 19 JAN 1882, House of Mr Schroeder, Tai Tapu
      (1) Margaret Dora Schröder
          Born: 1865, Hanover, Germany
          + John Magon
            Born: 1860, Halswell
            Married: 14 OCT 1890, St Mark's Church, Greenpark
      (1) Catherine Schröder
          Born: 1866
      (1) Henry Ludwig Schröder
          Born: 1872, London, England
          Died: 23 AUG 1939, Tai Tapu, NZ
          + Mary [Annie] Meyerhoff
            Born: 29 MAR 1881, Halswell
            Died: 10 DEC 1939, Tai Tapu, NZ
            Married: 24 AUG 1910, Methodist Church, Fitzgerald Ave, Christchurch
            (2) xxxxxxx Schroeder
                Born: 10 JAN 1917, Greenpark
                Died: 1980
                + xxxxxxx Holstein
                  Born: 27 SEP 1922, Akaroa
                Died: 2008, Christchurch
                  Married: 15 FEB 1941, Phillipstown Church
                  (3) Me
                      Born: 27 AUG 1967, Christchurch
                  (3) Brother Schroeder
                      Born: , Christchurch
                  (3) Brother Schroeder
                      Born: , Christchurch
                  (3) Sister Schroeder
                      Born: , Christchurch
                      + Brother in-law
                        Married:
                        (4) Niece
                        (4) Niece
            (2) xxxx Schroeder
            (2) xxxx Schroeder
                + xxx xxxx
                  Married:
                  (3) xxxx xxxx
            (2) Freddy Schroeder
                Born: 1920
                Died: 1922
            (2) xxxxx Schroeder
                + xxxx Holstein
                  Married:
                  (3) xxxxx Schroeder
                      + xxx xxxxx
                        Married:
                        (4) xxx xxxx
                        (4) xxxx xxxx
                  (3) xxxx xxxx
      (1) Augustus Schröder
          Born: 1857, Hanover, Germany
          Died: 06 MAY 1944, Canterbury, NZ
          + Caroline Magon
            Born: 1872, Greenpark
            Died: 23 AUG 1902, Greenpark
            Married: 05 APR 1892, St Mark's Church, Greenpark
            (2) Daisy Schroeder
                Born: 1896
                Died: 11 AUG 1907, NZ
            (2) ? Schroeder
                Born: 1902
                Died: 1902, NZ
            (2) ? Schroeder
                Born: 1902
                Died: 1902, NZ
          Spouse #2 of Augustus Schröder
          + Annie Memory
            Born: 1879, Springston
            Died: 10 OCT 1945, Canterbury, NZ
            Married: 28 JUL 1904, St Mary's Church, Halswell
            (2) Rita Dorethy Schroeder
                Born: 1917, Greenpark
                Died: 21 JUN 1990, Greenpark
            (2) George Schroeder
                Born: 28 JUN 1904, Greenpark
                Died: 08 OCT 1933, Greenpark
      (1) John Schroeder
          Born: 1881, Tai Tapu
          + Winifred Harriet Beswick
            Born: 1884
            Married: 21 JUN 1905, House of Mr Clarke, Percey St, Linwood, Christchurch
      (1) Dedrick Schrouder
          Born: NOV 1882
          Died: 11 SEP 1884, Canterbury, NZ

Created using Generation X:: 2003-10-23


One of my ancestors, Maria Anna Schröder, is recorded as being born in Amt, Saeven, Hanover, Germany. When I asked about this on a mailing list, one person suggested that Amt, Saeven is AMT ZEVEN. This was a district in the northern part of the Kingdom of Hannover. The capital of this "Amt" was the town ZEVEN which is located between Hamburg and Bremen. In the Amt Zeven are various towns/villages where Schroeder families were/are living.

Emigration records show that my Great Grand Father and family came to New Zealand on the Carisbrooke Castle, Leaving London 27 May 1874, arriving in Lyttelton, New Zealand 2 September 1874.


My father's family farmed in the Greenpark/Tai Tapu area near Christchurch.

An early settler in that area, Johan Gerken, came from Hanover himself in 1855. He was responsible for bringing a number of his countrymen to join him in Tai Tapu, which he named Hanover Valley - a name which was retained for many years, but which did not survive into the 20th century.

From the chapter German Settlements in Canterbury and Westland by James N. Bade in The German Connection: New Zealand and German-Speaking Europe in the Nineteenth Century Editor: James Bade

Another source regarding Tai Tapu:

The first arrivals [in this area] had varied backgrounds, predominantly of British stock with a few Germans who came in increasing numbers during the 1880's and 1890's. (p2)

Reference has been made earlier to settlers of German origin in Greenpark and adjoining districts but Les. Arnst has rightly pointed out that most of these were actually Hanoverians. Hanover was a separate kingdom with ties to the British throne and was over run by the Prussians in 1866. To avoid long periods of service in the Prussian Army many then immigrated to New Zealand, the majority of those who settled in local districts had small holdings of heavy swamp land. (p58)

August Schroeder who was a member of the school committee for many years could always be relied on to make a profit at the picnics when running the "cocoanut shies". (p60)

From One Hundred Years in Green Pastures: The Story of the Greenpark School and District, 1871-1971.

Christchurch City Library: Lots of useful genealogical sources.

SCHRODER. A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Schroder surname and variations in any place and at any time. To subscribe send "subscribe" to schroder-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or schroder-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).

SCHROEDER. A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Schroeder surname and variations (e.g., Schroder, Schrader) in any place and at any time. To subscribe send "subscribe" to schroeder-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or schroeder-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).

According to a poster in the soc.genealogy.german news group, the name Schroeder is derived from the German verb schroten, meaning: to cut, saw in pieces; to rough-hew.

Contributions of Germans and Scandinavians to the History of New Zealand F. A. Charlton 7/3/1936 [Thesis submitted for honours History Session 1935]

Genealogy of Christopher Jorns Schröder

Uli Schroeder's Genealogy Page

rootsweb Schroeder Resources.

Schroder/Schroeder - Hanover, Germany

Family Crest?

Generation X: genealogy shareware software for Mac.

Reunion Mac: genealogy commerical software for Mac.

WinFamily: genealogy commerical software for PC.