My maiden name was Radichel. I have been trying to trace my family back to Pommern / Prussia / Germany. I can find some Radichels on ship lists, but cannot find any reference to a Radichel living in Pommern during the 1800's. I have several questions. Is it possible that all of the names I listed in the subject line are all forms of the same name? It is possible that the individual was illiterate and therefore only pronounced his name? I imagine that the German pronunciation was spelled differently by each emigration or immigration official. Hence so many different spellings. Have you had any experience with connecting these forms of the name? I counted at least 12 possible spellings for the same name. I strongly feel they are all related, but cannot find any proof at all. If you have researched any of the names above, have you actually been able to find records of the person before they entered the US so that the spelling of their name can be verified?

Well, I am not absolutely sure, but may I tell my theory:
It looks like from the all of the variations, that the root of this word is the Slavic word: "rad", what means about happiness in many variation. The name Radics (Radich in English spelling) is known everywhere in the Slavic countries.
It vcan be maybe: "son of a happy person"
Lajos Reich, Hungary.