Bentz
A German surname that most likely began as a short form of Benedict.
The #5,838 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 52,127 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bentz is generally treated as a German diminutive or pet form connected with the given name Benedict, ultimately from Latin Benedictus, meaning “blessed.” In older German naming, short forms and nickname forms of personal names often became hereditary surnames. The spelling with -tz reflects German sound and spelling habits, and related forms include Bentzle and Bentzel.
History
The surname appears in German-language records and is part of a wider group of surnames derived from saints’ names and baptismal names. Historical surname writers also grouped Bentz with other forms from Benedict, which supports the idea that it began as a personal-name derivative rather than a place-name or occupation. It remains most common in German-speaking and German-descended families, including in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 20th-century surname guide explicitly glossed Bentz as coming from Benedict.
From the historical record
“Frank- a) I. s. Franc. — b) ÜI. als N. des Stammes vgl. „Bentz der frank" 1373. Franz- s. Franciscus. Fraßni. mhd. vrfiz ein „Fresser, Schlemmer", so Heinrich der Fraz 1292 (Bacm.), s. S. 48. Johann Hambsterf raß , Hans Ziegenfraß 16. Jh.”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen