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Re: Surname zum Pütz
There is a place called Pütz c.20 km. north of Düren. The name is said to mean "well" or "spring", cognate with the French Puits.
I wonder if you can explain the "zu". I Know that anyone ennobled could adopt the "von", so we have names like von Weber and von Hoffmann; but I once read that "zu" is more exclusive, indicating that a family held a named estate from time immemorial. I'm not sure that this holds up considering some of the surnames I've seen with this addition. And why "von und zu" when "zu" alone would do?
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Gilbert Studnitz wrote an article years ago for "Der Blumenbaum" at http://www.netaxs.com/~graf/graf/graf_nobility.html which stated the "von und zu" which stated they were not only originally from a given place but still retained it (I assume the estate). I have seen some of the other designations he mentions such as "Ritter von dem Driesch". In the 1600's at least there was a von Pütz family near Düren; whether they were related to the zum Pütz family I do not know. One reference to the von und zu Pütz can be found in the html conversion of Monika Borisch on Halfen Families at http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:z7QDAzX9OwwJ:www.genealogienetz.de/vereine/wgff/docs/Borisch_Halfenfamilien.pdf+%22von+und+zu+P%C3%BCtz%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us
I assume, perhaps the "von und" portion was added to the zum Putz due to his position as stimmeister of Cologne. I do know I have seen other examples of which Studnitz writes in the area. Some examples are the Freiherrs/Grafs Wolff-Metternich with no "von" and some families with an "auf dem" prefix.Still the "zum Pütz" is interesting. They were a patrician family from Düren (at least in the late 1500's). Some other patrician families from there had the "von" instead. Aside from these there were numerous Pütz families in the area some of which were halfen.
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Thanks for this, it clears up a couple of things. I meant to mention in my last posting that "zum" being "zu dem" the original home may have been Der Pütz rather than simply Pütz. I believe that form does appear as a place name in the same region.
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