Similar to many Austrian
family names, the distinguished surname Arnzt is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. Austria
, which was originally home to a Celtic people, was conquered by the Roman Empire
in about 15 BC. Following the fall of Rome, Austria
was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths
, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria
. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish emperor Charlemagne
, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Otto I
defeated the Magyars in 955. Austria
was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria
until the 20th century.
Early Origins of the Arnzt family
The surname Arnzt was first found in Austria
, where the name contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local
social and political affairs. Chronicles first mention Gregor Aroldt of Luetzen in 1504.
Early History of the Arnzt family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arnzt research.Another 309 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1665, 1795, 1155, 1650, 1695, 1666, 1714, 1740 and 1802 are included under the topic Early Arnzt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Arnzt Spelling Variations
In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians
spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations
of the name Arnzt include Arnold, Arnoldt, Arnolds, Arnol, Arnoll, Arnolle, Arnholdt (often in Saxony), Aroldt (Franconia), Arlt (Silesia) and many more.
Early Notables of the Arnzt family (pre 1700)
During this period prominent bearers of the name Arnzt were Arnold, known as "Arnold of Brescia" (d.1155), an outstanding personality who challenged and condemned the temporal power of the Church and was executed; Christoph Arnold... Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arnzt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Arnzt family to the New World and Oceana
After the First World War, Austria
became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany
or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Arnzt were Anne Arnold, age 39; who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635; Carl Arnold, who arrived in Texas in 1854; Frederick Arnold, who came to Philadelphia in 1859.