Schuetze History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Schuetze comes from the Rhineland, an ancient region of Germany. In pre-medieval times, the Germans used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames; so as to remain distinct from the many others of the same first name. Local names were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from," which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Schuetze was a name for some one lived in the region of Schuetz in various areas of Germany.

Early Origins of the Schuetze family

The surname Schuetze was first found in the Rhineland valley, where this old family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Numerous family members bearing this name were prominent in social affairs. The family, as it spread throughout Germany, played a fundamental role in many regions as they emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System. Chronicles first mention Johann Scuette of Luebeck in 1319 and Woelfel Schuetze of Eger in 1320.

Early History of the Schuetze family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schuetze research. Another 250 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1497, 1539, 1540, 1562, 1565, 1585, 1594, 1640, 1672, 1690, 1756, 1776 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Schuetze History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schuetze 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 Schuetze include Schuetze, Schuett, Schuette, Schuetzmann and others.

Early Notables of the Schuetze family

Notables with the name Schuetze during this period were Katharina Zell née Schütz (1497-1562), German Protestant writer during the Reformation; Caspar Schütz (c. 1540-1594), German historian, Professor of Poetry at the University of Königsberg from 1562 to 1565; Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672), the outstanding German composer of the 17th century, who wrote...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Schuetze Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schuetze migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Schuetze were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Schuetze Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johann Schuetze, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 1
Wilhelm Schuetze, who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1850 1

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)