Metz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
During the Middle Ages, the surname of Metz was used in Austria. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in Germany, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Metz family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Metz was an occupational name for a knife maker having derived from the Old German word messer, meaning knife.
Early Origins of the Metz family
The surname Metz was first found in Austria, where the name could be considered to have made a great contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of modern Europe. Literally, the name could either mean "one who made knives and daggers," for "Metz" is the mediaeval form of "Messer," or it could mean "one who operates a mill," for "metze" was the medaieval weight scale for foodstuff such as corn and flour. Chronicles first mention one Peter mit der metzen of Glatz in 1356, and a "Mecze" who was the wife of Ramfold von Gersdorf in 1390. Metz is also the Germanized form of the Latin "Mediomatrica," a city on the Moselle River in what was once Westphalia, but is now France, which Caesar described as one of the oldest and most important towns of Gaul. The name "Metzer" then means "from the city of Metz." Strasbourg chronicles mention Conrad Metzer von Hagenau in 1295. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the tribal and national conflicts, in which each group sought power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.
Early History of the Metz family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Metz research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1787 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Metz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Metz Spelling Variations
One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Metz include Metz, Metzmacher, Metzner, Metze, Mets, Metsch and many more.
Early Notables of the Metz family
During this period prominent bearers of the name Metz were
- Joseph Andreas Metz, who was honored with a title of nobility in 1796 in reward for 21 years of outstanding service as an influential advisor at the courts of Austria
Metz Ranking
In the United States, the name Metz is the 1,657th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Metz is ranked the 2,362nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. 2
Metz migration to the United States +
Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Metz or a variant listed above:
Metz Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Andrew Metz, his wife, and four children, Sebastian Metz, his wife, and three children, and Simon Metz with his wife and three children, all of whom emigrated to America in 1709
- Charles Metz, aged 15, who landed in Louisiana in 1719 3
- Johan Carl Metz, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 3
- Dewalt Metz, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 3
- Christoph Metz, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Metz Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Wilhelm Metz, who landed in America in 1832 3
- Jakob Metz, who landed in Iowa in 1833 3
- Henry Metz, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1834 3
- Leonard Metz, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1839 3
- John Metz, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Metz migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Metz Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Fedko Metz, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1899
Contemporary Notables of the name Metz (post 1700) +
- Milton Metz (1921-2017), American radio and television personality
- Donald J. Metz (1924-1999), American nuclear engineer at Brookhaven National Laboratory
- Lieutenant General Thomas F. Metz (b. 1948), American Army officer and director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization
- Steven Metz (b. 1956), American author and Research Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute
- E. A. Metz, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 1912 4
- Durbin Metz, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1924 4
- Charles E. Metz Jr., American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1956 4
- Charles Metz, American politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 16th District, 1926; Candidate for New York State Assembly from New York County 16th District, 1928 4
- Arthur G. Metz, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly from Dane County 1st District, 1938 4
- Albert F. Metz, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey, 1952 4
- ... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Suggested Readings for the name Metz +
- Metts Ancestors in America by Albert Caswell Metts.
- Metz Families Research by Irene R. Williams Berg.
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html