Metzeler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Metzeler

What does the name Metzeler mean?

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Metzeler family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Metzeler is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a butcher. The surname Metzeler is derived from the German word metzger, which means butcher.

Early Origins of the Metzeler family

The surname Metzeler was first found in Bavaria, where the name became noted for its many branches within the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied and enrolled by the princes of the region. Chronicles first mention Burch vor der Mezzje of Zuerich in 1258, and Conrad hinter der Mezzje of Constance in 1259. The literal translation of the name into English would be "butcher" or "meat market." In their later history the family became a power unto themselves, and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into a most influential family.

Early History of the Metzeler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Metzeler research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1623, 1632, 1635, 1637, 1683, 1687, 1701, 1702, 1740 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Metzeler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Metzeler Spelling Variations

In 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 Metzeler include Metzger, Mezger, Metzeler, Metzler, Mezler and others.

Early Notables of the Metzeler family

Prominent among members of the name Metzeler in this period include Georg Balthasar Metzger (1623-1687), a German physician and scientist, one of the four founding members of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Schweinfurt; Joseph Mezger (1635-1683), an Austrian Benedictine of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg; Francis Mezger (1632-1701)...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Metzeler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Metzeler family

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 Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were: Philip Metzger and Johan Metzger, both of whom emigrated with their wives and children to England and/or America in 1709. Scores of family members arrived later in Philadelphia throughout the 1730s and 1740s. Many Metzgers came to Texas in 1846.