Metzer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

During the Middle Ages, the surname of Metzer 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 Metzer 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 Metzer was an occupational name for a knife maker having derived from the Old German word messer, meaning knife.

Early Origins of the Metzer family

The surname Metzer 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 Metzer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Metzer research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1787 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Metzer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Metzer 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 Metzer include Metz, Metzmacher, Metzner, Metze, Mets, Metsch and many more.

Early Notables of the Metzer family

Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Metzer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Metzer migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Metzer were

Metzer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Friederich Metzer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 1
Jurg Metzer, who settled in Philadelphia in 1754
Johann Mathew Metzer, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1764

Metzer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Metzer, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1838 1
Anthony Metzer, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 1
Solomon Metzer, aged 18, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1848 1
Jacob Metzer, aged 9, who landed in New York, NY in 1852 1
Liselle Metzer, aged 8, who arrived in New York, NY in 1852 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Metzer (post 1700) +

John D. Metzer, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Gonaives, 1884 2
D. E. Metzer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Hawaii Territory, 1924 2
James Frederick Metzer (b. 1933), prominent lawyer in Oklahoma

Citations +

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