This interesting and unusual name is a dialectual variant of the given name Derek, which was originally spelt Dederick. The name was introduced into England in the 15th Century from the Dutch as Diederick and Dirck, and is derived from the personal name Theodoric, composed of the Germanic elements "peudo", people, race and "Ric", power. Theodoric an early namebearer was an Ostrogothic leader (circa 454 - 526) who invaded Italy in 488 and established his capital at Ravenna in 493. One Victor Derrick aged 23 yrs sailed to Virginia in the "Bonaventure", with Captain James Ricrofte on January 2nd 1634 from the Port of London. In the modern idiom the surname has several variant spellings including Dederick, Dedrick and Derrick. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mary Deryke, which was dated 1545, in the "Marriage Licence Offices Norfolk", during the reign of King Henry V111, known as "Good King Hal", 1509 - 1547. 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.