Schütz
A German surname from schütz, meaning “shooter,” “guard,” or “protector.”
The #9,844 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 93,901 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Schuetz is an Anglicized spelling of German Schütz, from the Middle High German word schütze, meaning a shooter or marksman, and by extension a guard or protector. It is related to the verb schießen, “to shoot,” and in surnames often began as an occupational name for an archer, soldier, or watchman. The spelling "Schuetz" reflects the German umlaut ü written as "ue" in older or non-German transcription.
History
The surname is German in origin and is most often found in German-speaking regions and among descendants of German emigrants. In English-language records, the umlaut is frequently simplified as "ue" or sometimes reduced further, which is why Schütz commonly appears as Schuetz. The name is not especially rare in Germany and also occurs widely in North American immigrant communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older writers on German-American names noted that Schuetz is a good example of the German ü being written as "ue" in Anglicized spelling.
From the historical record
“(Kuehle) ; the latter usually gives z, as in Bitner (Buettner), Kindig (Kuendig), Bixler (Buechsler), Hiss (Huess), Miller (Mueller). In Sheets (Schuetz), however, short ue is length ened to ee. Oscar Kuhns. 323”
— Studies in Pennsylvania German Family Names