Show ContentsBaltz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Baltz

What does the name Baltz mean?

The roots of the distinguished surname Baltz lie in Austria. The name derives itself from "Balthasar," the name of one of the three Magi who followed the star to Bethlehem, and was popular as both a first name and a family name during the 18th century.

Early Origins of the Baltz family

The surname Baltz was first found in Austria, where the name Baltheser was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. The Baldus, Baldes and Baldes were originally pet forms of the variant Balthasar which was the local patron saint and were often found in Rhineland. 1

Early History of the Baltz family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baltz research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1630, 1656, 1659 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Baltz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baltz Spelling Variations

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 Baltz include Baltzer, Balthasar, Balthezer, Balthesser, Ballthasar, Balthazar, Ballthezer, Balz (Pomerania), Baltzel and many more.

Early Notables of the Baltz family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Baltz were

  • Thomas Baltzar (1630-1663), a renowned violinist, who achieved fame in London...

Baltz Ranking

In the United States, the name Baltz is the 13,117th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2


Baltz 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 Baltz or a variant listed above:

Baltz Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johann Georg Baltz, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732

Contemporary Notables of the name Baltz (post 1700) +

  • Mary C. Baltz (1923-2011), American soil scientist, the first woman soil scientist officially assigned in the field for the Soil Conservation Service
  • Paul Meade Baltz (1912-1994), American businessman and politician who served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1961 to 1964 and was a Republican
  • Tim Baltz, American comedian, actor, and writer who appeared as a "citizen journalist" on the Comedy Central series The Opposition
  • Lewis Baltz (b. 1945), American photographer and visual artist, an important figure in the New Topographics movement of the late 1970s
  • Kirk Baltz (b. 1959), American actor, best known for his role as the police officer Marvin Nash in Quentin Tarantino's film Reservoir Dogs.
  • Mark Baltz, American NFL football official
  • William Nicolas Baltz (1860-1943), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Illinois 22nd District, 1913-15; Defeated, 1914, 1926; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1916 3
  • V. M. Baltz (b. 1899), American Democratic Party politician, Shannon County Circuit Clerk, 1931-42; Member of Missouri State House of Representatives from Shannon County, 1943-44, 1953-56, 1959-64 3
  • Meade Baltz (b. 1912), American politician, Member of Illinois State House of Representatives 37th District, 1961-65; Member of Illinois State Senate 41st District, 1967-73 3
  • George Baltz, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Erie County 2nd District, 1872-73 3
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Helmut Baltz (1917-1941), German Funkmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4


  1. Bahlow, Hans (Edda Gentry trns.)Dictionary of German Names Madison, Wisconsin: Max Kade Institute, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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