The name Ryke/Reiche goes back to a influential patrisian family from Cölln, with great influence of the history of the Middle Ages double city Berlin-Cölln.
Johannes Ryke in 1344 got the Schulzen estate Marienfelde, and 100 years later the mayor in Cölln Bernd Ryke was gang leader of "ill will" called uproar/rebellion against the electorial prince (den Kurfürsten) Friedrich II. The mayor Bernd Ryke got banished.
Rykenstrasse in Berlin is named after Bernhard Ryke who in second half of the 14. century was mayor in the double township Cölln - Berlin.
Link to "Die Doppelstadt Cölln - Berlin im 13. Jahrhundert"
Reiche (mittelniederdeutsch Ryke) was in Mark Brandenburg a widespread rich patrisian family. In old documemts (Urkunden) the latin word "dives" (= rich) is used to indicate the family was rich. In Holland the family frequently is called Ryke (the Dutch word Ryk meaning rich/powerful/great). In Germany the family is called Reiche/Ryke and the German word reich also meaning rich.
From "Urkunden" we see that already in 1326 some members of the family Ryke were city manager in Cölln. And in Cölln some of them lived in the house Brüderstraße 2-3.
In Landbuch Karls IV. is several villages (Dörfer) mentioned belonging to the family Reiche. A great number of descendants after Bernd Reiche were in the 15. century mayor or lord-mayor.
1. Johann Reiche,
1.1. Bernd (senior Reiche) Ryke, mayor in Berlin 1361-1362, 1365.
1.1.1.Bernd/Bernhard (junior) Ryke, mayor in Berlin 1368-1417.
1.1.1.1. Bernd (Reiche) Ryke (um 1380-1450), lord-mayor in Berlin" 1447-1448.
1.1.1.1.1. Joachim (Senior) Reiche, lord-mayor in Berlin 1496-1518.
1.1.1.1.1.1. Joachim (Junior) Reiche, lord-mayor in Berlin 1526-1537.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Hieronymus Reiche (um 1513-1560), lord-mayor in Berlin 1542, 1545-1560.
