Surname Sitz - Meaning and Origin
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Sitz: What does the surname Sitz mean?
The last name Sitz is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "sitzen", which means "to sit". It was likely used as an occupational surname for someone who was a settler. Occupational surnames were commonly assigned based on an individual’s profession or job in the ancient Germanic era. It is important to note that in some cases, this surname possibly denoted someone who resided in a place where there was a notable seat or throne. Surname meanings can vary based on geographic regions and historical contexts, so these interpretations might not apply in every situation.
Order DNA origin analysisSitz: Where does the name Sitz come from?
The last name Sitz is a German surname that is most common today in Germany and other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland. The name is derived from the German word sitz, which means "seat" or "place". It is a toponymic surname, meaning that it was usually taken on by people who lived near seats, parks, or other important places.
In the United States, the surname tends to be most common in the Northeast, where a large concentration of German-speaking immigrants from Europe settled in the 1800s. This includes Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. There is also an especially large presence of the Sitz surname in Wisconsin, where more than 7,000 individuals reported it in the 2020 United States Census.
In Germany, the name Sitz is especially concentrated in Bavaria, with the city of Munich and the Starnberg district being two of the most common areas where it is found. In Austria, the name is particularly common in Vorarlberg, Lower and Upper Austria, as well as Vienna. In Switzerland, the St. Gallen and Zurich cantons report the highest amount of Sitz individuals.
These regional concentrations of the surname are due to its being connected to certain geographical areas in a particular region, as well as to traditional genealogical links between certain families who have carried the Sitz surname in each region for centuries.
Variations of the surname Sitz
The surname Sitz has many different variants and spellings due to its German language origin. One of the primary of these is Sitzmann, with other forms including: Sitzman, Sitsman, Sittman, Sitman, and Sittmann. Other spelling variations of Sitz or Sitts include Sitzes, Sitze, Sitzen, Seitz, Seitzmann, Seitzman, Seitzmann, Seytz, Seytzmann, Seitz, Setzmann, Setzmen, Setz, and Setzkorn. German versions of the family name Sitz may also be spelled as Sitzberger, Sitzinger, Sizouk, Sizko, Sitzkell, and Sitzkkirchner. Although the surnames Sitz and Sitzmann are generally understood to be of German origin, other countries throughout Europe may have variations of this name due to variant spellings and dialects. Some of these countries include Austria, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and Russia.
This surname is particularly common in the Upper Palatinate of Bavaria in its historical ancestral homeland of Germany. Documentation of its presence in this region has been found dating back to the 16th century. It is also known to have spread to other countries, such as the United States, as early as the 19th century.
Famous people with the name Sitz
- John Sitz: American filmographer and producer, known for his work on films such as X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and Fantastic Four (2015).
- Adam Sitz: Musician and songwriter, has released several albums and toured with bands such as U2 and AC/DC.
- Bernd Sitz: Austrian bobsledder, competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
- Edward J. Sitz Jr., American Brigadier General who was the commander of the D-Day landing force at Normandy during WWII.
- Roy T. Sitz, American farmer and politician from Wisconsin, a member of the Wisconsin State Senate from 1935 to 1941.
- Tyler Sitz: Professional ice hockey player from Canada who has played in the National Hockey League since 2012.
- August Sitz: German equestrian, competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
- Karl Sitz: Austrian sculptor, known for his bronze commemorative pieces in honor of World War I veterans.
- Terry Sitz: American basketball player, played in the NBA from 1982 to 1989.
- Harry Sitz: American Major League Baseball pitcher, active from 1924 to 1925.