| ![Show Contents]() Zandt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany The bountiful region surrounding the Rhine river is the birthplace of the name Zandt. A single name was, at one time, all that people needed. However, increasing ease of travel and the burgeoning populations forced people to adopt a hereditary surname to set themselves apart from others. A common form of surname found in the Rhineland was the local name, a name taken on from a place-name. Originally denoting the proprietorship of a village or estate, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Zandt was given to someone who lived beside a rocky cliff. Zandt is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties Early Origins of the Zandt familyThe surname Zandt was first found in the Palatinate region of the Rhineland, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the region, eventually moving north with the Palatinate counts to Duesseldorf in the duchy of Berg. 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. Early History of the Zandt familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zandt research. Another 245 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1253, 1778, 1823, 1825, 1827, 1829 and 1867 are included under the topic Early Zandt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Zandt Spelling VariationsIn the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Zandt include Zandt, Zand, Zant and others. Early Notables of the Zandt familyNotables with the name Zandt during this period were - Baron Johann Franz von Zandt, who raised the family to great prominence through his accomplishments as the lord of Epfenbach, major general of the army, and chamberlain at the courts of the Palatinate...
 Zandt migration to the United States | + |
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 the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Zandt, or one of its variants above:
Zandt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Charles Zandt, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1829
| Contemporary Notables of the name Zandt (post 1700) | + |
- William "Billy" Van Zandt (b. 1957), American playwright and actor
- John Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet
- Peter P. Van Zandt, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from New York County, 1777-78, 1779-84 1
- Khleber Miller Van Zandt (1836-1930), American politician, Delegate to Texas State Constitutional Convention, 1875 1
- John W. Van Zandt, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 8th District, 1862-63 1
- John G. Van Zandt, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County, 1811-12 1
- James Edward Van Zandt (1898-1986), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, 1939-43, 1947-63 1
- Jacobus Van Zandt, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from New York County, 1777-78, 1779-83 1
- Isaac Van Zandt (1813-1847), American politician, Member of Texas Republic House of Representatives, 1840-42; Texas Republic Charge d'Affaires to the United States, 1842 1
- Clarence D. Van Zandt (d. 1926), American Republican politician, Mayor of Rochester, New York, 1922-26 1
- ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
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Zandt migration to the United States 
