Battzendorff History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Battzendorff family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, as hereditary surnames began to be adopted, names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Battzendorff is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Battzendorff was given to someone who lived in Batzendorff, Bavaria. The family name is derived from the Old German word batz, meaning mound or pile. Batz was used as a colloquialism referring to a mound of gold, and eventually was used to refer the coins of gold of which the pile was made, and as a nickname for a rich person. Dorff, the second component of the name, means village. Early Origins of the Battzendorff familyThe surname Battzendorff was first found in Bavaria, where this name made an important early contribution to the feudal society of early Europe. The name Batzendorff became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses, where the family continued to play important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, as each group sought to increase its power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. Early History of the Battzendorff familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Battzendorff research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Battzendorff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Battzendorff Spelling VariationsMany cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Battzendorff include Batzendorff, Battzendorff, Batzendorf, Batzzendorf, Batzenndorf, Batzentorf, Batzentorff, Battzentorf, Battzentorff, Batzendorp, Battzendorp, Batzendorff, Battzendorff, Batzzendorff, Batzzendorp, Batzzentorf, Batzzentorff, Batzenndorff, Batzenndorp and many more. Early Notables of the Battzendorff familyMore information is included under the topic Early Battzendorff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Battzendorff familyThe great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were: settlers who traveled to and established themselves along the eastern seaboard of the United States and in Canada during the 18th and 19th centuries.
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