Kutz (Kuts, Kuz, Coots) is a German surname with several origins. Some time ago it was considered that this word is derived from the Middle High German word "kötze" or “kütze”, which means a woven basket (Tragekorb) or a kind of a coarse woolen garment (Oberkleid).[1][2] Subsequently, the name was believed to derive from the Old Polish–Lithuanian word "kucina", which means a cudgel-like weapon. However, currently an opinion prevails that etymologically the name Kutz is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "kūtiō". According to the Starling linguist's database,[3] this word originally referred to birds of prey, not specified by kind. During the 14th and 18th centuries the word passed through a number of grammatical transformations from "kūtze" to "kutz", and finally into "kauz",.[4] At present, this word translates from German as "owl".[5]
The last name Kutz was previously common in Prussia. In the 17th to 20th centuries, East Prussia was periodically captured by Poland, Germany or the Russian Empire.[6][7] This may account for some Kutz in central and eastern Europe. Kutz is also a Germanized respelling of Polish Kuc, a nickname for a short person from a noun meaning "pony".[8]
People
edit- George Kutz (18th century), founder of the city named in his honor, Kutztown in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
- Charles Willauer Kutz (1870–1951), General US Army, American politician, President of the District of Columbia Board
- J. Fred Coots (1897–1985), American composer
- José Nathan Kutz (1969), American scientist in the field of Mathematical Neuroscience, Professor within the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Washington.
- Kazimierz Julian Kutz (1929–2018), Polish film director, author, journalist and politician, one of the representatives of the Polish Film School and a deputy speaker of the Senate of Poland
- K'utz Chman, king who laid foundations for Mayan civilisation in 700 B.C.[9] "Kutz Chman" translates from the Mayan language as "old condor" or "old vulture".
- Vladimir Kuts (1927–1975), Soviet long-distance runner and athletics coach, Olympic gold medallist at the 1956 Olympics
See also
edit- Kutz Mill, historic grist mill in Pennsylvania
- Kutz's Mill Bridge, historic wooden covered bridge in Pennsylvania
- Kutz Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C
- Kutz-Bauer v Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, an EU labour law case
- Friedrich Traugott Kützing, phycologist who used the standard author abbreviation "Kütz"
- Kuts
References
edit- ^ KELL. erz. Erzählungen aus altdeutschen Hss. Ges. von A. von Keller. Stuttgart 1855 (StLV 35). (Sammlung von ca. 130 kleinen Texten, darunter viele Texte aus Cod. Karlsruhe 408 (Schmid, Cod. 408))
- ^ Johann Christian August Heyse. Handwörterbuch der deutschen Sprache // 1833. Bd. I. Magdeburg. W. Heinrichshofen. P. 919
- ^ Starostin, Sergei A. “STARLING” or "The Tower of Babel"
- ^ Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm. 16 Bde. in 32 Teilbänden. Leipzig 1854-1961
- ^ Dr. Olaf Anderßon, Cornelia Bretz, u. a. Streuobstblätter. Lüneburger Streuobstwiesen e.V., Ausgabe Nr. 3|2013, Seite.21
- ^ Clark, Christopher M. 2006. Iron kingdom: the rise and downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674023857
- ^ Lieven, Dominic. 2002. Empire: The Russian Empire and Its Rivals. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. ISBN 0300097263
- ^ "Kutz". Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. 2013.
- ^ Atwood R. Tomb of the Vulture Lord //Archaeology, Sept/Oct 2013, P.1-3
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