Belitz

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.