Metz
A surname that can be either habitational, from the city of Metz in northeastern France, or a German occupational name related to slaughtering or butchery.
The #1,760 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 15,160 Americans shares it.
Etymology
In many cases, Metz is best understood as a habitational surname, referring to someone from the city of Metz in Lorraine, France. That city-name is very old and historically important, so the surname could have been used for migrants who had left the area. In German contexts, however, Metz can also be connected with words for a butcher or meat cutter, making the surname occupational in some families. Because both explanations are plausible and the historical record is not uniform, the name should be treated as having more than one possible origin.
History
The surname appears in both French- and German-speaking areas, which fits its mixed origin possibilities. Historical sources also show the name in English and continental settings, but they do not prove a single shared family line. In modern usage, Metz is relatively well established in the United States and is most often encountered as an inherited surname rather than a transparent nickname or place-name reference.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Metz is also the name of one of the oldest cities in France, long known as an important Roman and medieval center.
From the historical record
“literary abilities, were long settled in Lan- guedoc, and a branch were recently resident at Metz. The English branch derive from Andre de la Condamine, co-seigneur de Serves, bom in 1 665. This gentleman, who was the head of the family, professed the Protestant faith and took refuge from per- secution in this…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom