Surname Bartzsch - Meaning and Origin

Bartzsch: What does the surname Bartzsch mean?

The last name Bartzsch has German origins and is derived from the word “Barzsche", which means "birch bark". In the 18th and 19th centuries, the making of birch-bark items was a popular craft in many regions of Germany and many of the surnames related to this craft are derived from the Bartzsch family.

The surname Bartzsch can be found in Germany, Austria, the United States and some other countries that German citizens have immigrated to. People with this surname are likely to have come from either Saxony or Bavaria region of Germany, although there are other regions where this surname is found.

This surname has a long history in German culture as a traditional family name, with records of a Bartzsch family dating back to 1764. The Bartzsch family crest is a blue shield with a black castle, suggesting that the family had a strong military background in the past.

The Bartzsch surname has a strong connection to the German culture. It likely originated from a birch bark factory which was an important industry in Germany in the past. This surname has a strong military background in German culture and is today found in many parts of the world due to German immigration.

Bartzsch: Where does the name Bartzsch come from?

The last name Bartzsch is most common today in countries of the former German Empire. Parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland contain the most concentration of Bartzsch's today. The highest concentrations are within German speaking states such as Bavaria, Saxony and Brandenburg. These states have the greatest population of Bartzsch's due to their history and legacy within these areas.

Bartzsch is an old German surname with language origins which suggest the first generation of the family derived from names such as Bartz or Barz originally, and then likely evolved into Bartzsch. The Bartzsch name is relatively rare and could still be considered a 'hidden treasure', as there are not many Bartzsch's across the world.

Various records have documented the Bartzsch family from the 1700s, showing first generations dating back to the mid-17th century within the German Empire. This includes mentions such as ' communion records', in which families were registered by the church. With connections within various governing organs of the church and state, many Bartzsch families have been subject to studies and documentation throughout different parts of Germany.

Due to the emigration of Barzsch families during the 19th century to the USA, Argentina and Brazil, the name is more commonly found in these countries. However, the predominant majority of the Bartzsch family is mainly found within the German and wider European speaking countries.

Variations of the surname Bartzsch

The surname Bartzsch is a German name, derived from the Middle High German barz or bart, meaning ‘beard’ or ‘glory’. It can be spelled differently, including Bartz, Bartsche, Bartschen, and Bartzsdk. There are also variations depending upon country or region, with Bartczsch being seen in Poland and Bugün Bartzch in Turkey.

In some parts of Germany and Austria, the double ‘t’ sound (‘tzsch’) is often replaced with ‘tsch’, giving variants such as Barsch, Barschich, Barschy, and Barschke. In many parts of America, the same surname has also been anglicised as Bartsch, Barchey, Barch, Barth, Barths and Barczi.

Other popular spellings of the name include Bartczak, Barschak, and Bartzak from Poland; Bartczack from Denmark and Czech Republic; Barschok from Slovakia; Bartko from Hungary; Bartsch and Bartschke from Germany; Bartzach from the Netherlands; and Barisch and Barschok from Ukraine.

The original Bartzsch form can also be used as a prefix to create a range of derived surnames, such as Bartzschke, Bartzschkowski, Bartzschow, and Bartzschowetz. Other names with the same origin include the Dutch Bartels and Bartelink, the German Bartels, Barthelmes, Bartholomä, Bartenstein, and Bartscher, and the Polish Bartnik and Bartnicki.

Famous people with the name Bartzsch

• Christel Bartzsch (1937–2019), East German-German women's rights activist
• Jürgen Bartzsch (born 1937), German cinematographer
• Walter Bartzsch (1918–2008), German Grand Admiral
• Karl Raphael Bartzsch (1907–1986), German composer and conductor
• Thomas Bartzsch (born 1967), German triple jumper
• Dieter Bartzsch (1941–1977), East German luger
• Waldemar Bartzsch (born 1983), German footballer
• Ernst-Otto Bartzsch (born 1956), East German fencer
• Herbert Bartzsch (born 1944), German classical flutist
• Carl Bartzsch (1927–2002), East German high jumper

Other surnames

Bartzschke