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| Origins Available: |
| | Germany |
The ancestral home of the Zetling family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Zetling is an occupational hereditary surname, a type of surname that was taken from a word describing or common to the profession of the original bearer. It is a name for a person who held a position of high prestige and may have been a courier or a diplomat. The name Zetling is derived from the German word "zedel," which means "drawing up" or "dispatching." It is also possible that the original bearer of the name Zetling was involved in the judiciary, or in the drawing up of legal documents.
The surname Zetling was first found in Bavaria, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. Chronicles first mention Merten Zettelschreiber of Altburg in 1560.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zetling research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1882 is included under the topic Early Zetling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many 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 Zetling include Zettel, Zettle, Zettl, Zettels, Zettler, Zedel and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Zetling Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The 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: Jacob Zettel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1733. Matthias Zettler came to Georgia between 1734-41; while Frederick Zettel arrived in 1856.