Show ContentsTetzel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tetzel family

The surname Tetzel was first found in Switzerland, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society.

The name is thought to have been derived from the Old High German "teuzo", itself from the Gothic word "thiuda" meaning "people." The surname is first documented in its Latinized from in the twelfth century where Tecelinus, was a Burgher of Goslar in the year 1120. In 1444, Stephan Teczel of Waischenfeld appears in the "Matrikel der Universitat Leipzig" while in 1477, Thomas Tetcschel of Merseburg is noted in the "Matrikel des Hochstifts Merseburg".

Early History of the Tetzel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tetzel research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1465 and 1519 are included under the topic Early Tetzel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tetzel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tess, Tes, Tesse, Tese, Tesses, Tessee, Teses, Tease, Teese, Teess and many more.

Early Notables of the Tetzel family

Notables of the time with the surname Tetzel were

  • Johann Tetzel OP (c. 1465-1519), a German Dominican friar and preacher...

Migration of the Tetzel family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: settlers who traveled to the New World and established themselves along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries..


Contemporary Notables of the name Tetzel (post 1700) +

  • Joan Tetzel (1921-1977), American actress, born in New York Citywell, known as a Broadway and London stage actress who played Nurse Ratched in the Broadway production of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" and later had guest roles in such American television series as Outlaws (1960), Perry Mason (1957), Thriller (1960), and Police Woman (1974)
  • Christian Tetzel, German cinematographer, known for Heimatsound (2012) and Udo Jürgens-Mitten im leben (2014)

Bismarck
  • Walter Tetzel (1921-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 1


  1. 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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