Show ContentsHeitz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Swiss surname Heitz is patronymic in origin, that is, a name created from the forename of the original bearer's father. The Heitz name is the Swiss form of Heinz, created from the forename Heinrich, which can be traced back to the Old High German "heim rich" meaning "home rule."

Early Origins of the Heitz family

The surname Heitz was first found in Switzerland, Alsace and Baden, where the name has long been found.

Early History of the Heitz family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heitz research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1404, 1427, 1460 and 1547 are included under the topic Early Heitz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heitz Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Heitz, Heitzman, Heitzmann and others.

Early Notables of the Heitz family

Notables of the time with the surname Heitz were

  • the Heitz family of Bale

Heitz Ranking

In the United States, the name Heitz is the 14,880th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Heitz is ranked the 1,574th most popular surname with an estimated 3,787 people with that name. 2


United States Heitz migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Heitz Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Heitz, who landed in New York in 1761 3
  • Martin Heitz, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1764 3
  • Philip Heitz, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1770 3
  • Fried Heitz, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1790 3
Heitz Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Francoin N Heitz, aged 36, who arrived in Missouri in 1841 3
  • Henry Heitz, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1856 3
  • Johann Heitz, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1867 3
  • John Heitz, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1867 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Heitz (post 1700) +

  • Kenneth R. "Kenny" Heitz (1947-2012), American basketball player and attorney
  • Joe and Alice Heitz, American co founders of the Heitz winery in California in 1961
  • Mark Heitz, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Kansas, 2000 4
  • Madeleine Heitz (b. 1940), Swiss fencer in the women's individual foil event at the 1972 Summer Olympics
  • Emil Heitz (1892-1965), German-Swiss botanist and geneticist, first winner of the Schleiden Medal in 1955
  • Arsène Heitz (1908-1989), French draughtsman who helped develop the European Union flag
  • Walter Heitz (1878-1944), German Generaloberst during World War II, two-time recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Markus Heitz (b. 1971), German fantasy author, most famous for his five-book "Dwarves" saga


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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