Recorded as Belitz, Bitze, Bitzius, Blitz, Blittschen, Blitzen, Blitzer, Blitzger, Pelitz, Plitz, Plitzger, Plizger, Plitzner, and possibly others, this is a German surname. It has two possible origins. Firstly it may be locational from a town formerly called Blitze, but now Bitze, and apparently named because of the regularity with which its buildings were struck by blitz or plitz (lightning), in ancient times. Secondly it can be a medieval nickname either for a quick tempered and fiery person, or a fast runner or messenger, or possibly given the robust humour of those past times, the complete reverse! At least 15% of all surnames are nicknames, and at least one researcher has made a good case for virtually all surnames to have a nickname source.
In this case with it being a locational name which by defination are usually amongst the very earliest to be recorded, we expected to find at least one from the early 12th century, but this was not the case. The first published recording that we have being that of Hans Plizger of Sonthofen in 1538, Jakob Blitz of Zeitz, Sachsen, in 1571, and Sabina Plitz of Zwickau, Sachsen, on May 25th 1601. A coat of arms was granted to a Swiss family called Bitzius in circa 1700. This has the blaxon of a gold field charged with two iron axes in saltire, surmounted by an iron cross.
Research into the possible origins of belitz leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname belitz is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation.
There is a considerable probability that belitz has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where belitz is most abundant are the following. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname belitz provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named belitz are found in every look back in the history of this lineage. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname belitz, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of belitz developed.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of belitz could be modified. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about belitz and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname belitz, even though not all have been documented to our present day. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname belitz were recorded by the chroniclers of the time.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname belitz, which allows us to learn more about its meaning. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of belitz are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of belitz, and at the same time, of surnames in general.