Mentz or Menz is an ancient Nordic, Celtic, and Germanic clan or tribal name. Variations include: Menz, Mentz, Muenz, Mentzer, Mentzinger, Mentzel, Mentzdorf, Muentz, Mentzen, Muntz, Manz, Mainz, Menze, von Mentz, v. Mentz, Mantz, Maentz , Maenz , Maenz, Maintz, Mentzingen, and Meintz. Old German for Clan Mentz is (German for Clan: Mentz Sippe or Stamme Mentz) To see an array of various Mentz Coats of Arms, click here: The Mentz or Menz House or Family makes no claim to the variations of name spellings; however, these spellings are presented so that worldwide researchers may see how names were transformed through time and immigration and emigration. Before 1800, the name Menz, Menze or Menzen was more commonly used; however, the MenTz version was used and developed over the recent history of Germany (last 300 years). Commentators on German history have researched and suggest that Men(t)z is low german or a shorter/pet name for Meinhard or Meinrich, but of course, the Mentz name could be connected to the various cities and villages in Germany such as The City of Mainz/Mayntz, The Main River, The Cities of Mentzingen, or villages of Menzingen or Mentzbach. *note: there are a limited number of Mentz/Menz family members whose names were transformed to the name Mintz after immigration in the 1800s. Although this is rare, there are proven cases available on familyresearch.org Moreover, there is also the probability that a person with the old German Mentz name could have had an ancestor who was a Munz or Minting Master of coins and such.

History of the Mentz House Klan or Clan

The Ancient Mentz Clan of the empires of Germania, Franconia, Alemannia and Schwabenland were consolidated under Chief Johannes in the the year 914 near the Roman outpost of (Roman: Augusto Nemetum or German: Civitas Nemetum or today Speyer). As history shows, it was difficult at this time to organize as an open revolution or local soverignty due to the the occupations of various Roman Military, Roman Catholic Episcopal Control, and later local Germanic claims, conflicts, the French land disputes, and other invasions. The Clan Chiefship was handed down at Mentz Clan gatherings from the centuries. By the late 1700's the chief was documented as Johann Georg Josef the II.

The Mentzhaus, Mentzbach or Mentz Klans were under the Kingdoms of the Ezzonian Empire, Counts Palantine , Electors of Palantine ( House of Wittelsbach ) and also sometimes the French Empire until 1803. Then French and Napoleon Emplire held control of the area until the Congress of Vienna was settled in 1816. From 1814-1816 there was unsettled control by the French and Germans.

Prior to 1815, the Mentz House was established on lands South West of Landau in Der Pfalz. On various maps before 1700, the name of this small region was called Mentz, Mentz b., or Mentzbach,

In 1815, under the Mentz or Menz Clan leader Johann Georg Josef II, the Mentz clans banded together and declared the independent and neutral lands of Mentz on the eastern South Western boundary of Kurpfalz, Rhineland Pfalz, or Old Bavaria because the French and German boundary disputes over the land had again left uninhabited and disputed territory. This independent Free-Baron Area only lasted for a few years because the claims were so disputed between church, France and Germany.. However, the Clan was immortalized for there establishment of a tiny kingdom and republic. Further, it is handed down information through family history that the Mentz Clans emerged from the Pfalzerwald "Palatinate Forest" and Wolfstein forests and were known as "Sippe or Klan Raugraf" which are lords and protectors over the uninhabited districts of SW Pfalz Kurpfalz, or Palatinate of which they emerged.

Next, Chief Johann Georg Josef passed the leadership to Georg Philip Peter II in the late 1830's. After that, the Chiefship passed to Georg Philip Heinrich II in 1864. In 1904, the Chiefship passed to Georg Philip Heinrich III.

In 1945, the Chiefship passed to a young lawyer who became an American Soldier of the "Battle of the Bulge" and Rhineland Campaign named Heinrich Albertus of the Clan who reclaimed the chiefship and historical "Mentz Clan Lands" with by planting flags in the Kurpfalz, Pfalzerwald Forrest, and "Palatinate" regions as he reconquered the land of the orgins of many Mentz's. He also planted small Mentz Flags in: Bavaria, Hesse, Tirol, and Linz Austria as the war ended. It is said that after conquering the land back in the name of his ancestors, he said a prayer of gratitude in the name of Christianity while sobbing for the losses of his home country and peoples. * Heinrich Albertus was a direct blood-line descendant of Chief Johann Georg Josef.

Chief Heinrich Albertus soon became an powerful and impotant leader and Heinrich Albertus lived a long and fruitful life. He later passed the clan Chiefship in 2004 to his son who was anointed Georg Philip IV or Georgius Phillipus IV who is said to be an International Businessman and Leader.

Orgins of the Mentz Clan

There are recorded families, tribes, noble clans, and Catholic Electors (Archbishops) using the name Mentz/Menz or a variation in Europe and Nordic countries for well over 1500 years. It is a fairly common name in Bavaria, Rhineland Pfalz, and greater Germany. Some living Mentz families claim to be descendants of the Spiritual Prince Electors of Papal "Holy See" of Mainz (or Holy Roman Empire) because these Rhineland Popes (North of the Alps) could marry or have children and families many centuries ago. Further, there are still ancient noble families that use the Mentz name or a variation above in Switzerland, North Eastern Germany, and even Denmark, Austria & Tirol, Norway and Sweden. One example is the Mentz von Ravensbourg Noble Family. Of course, there are thousands of Mentz Families in the USA, Europe, Latin and South America, Australia, Asia, and South Africa. The Germanic Mentz Tribes from Old Bavaria or (Rhineland Pfalz) were mostly farmers, laborers, bakers, foresters, wine growers, and small business persons who were eventual subjects of the King of Bavaria in the 1800's. Some even became Knights, Politicians, Judges, and Military Leaders for varying principalities and governments. Other Mentz's have also been noted scholars of German and Royal History (See: Professor Georg Mentz). As a note, there is a long line of Christian Mystics, Masons and Guild Masters within the Mentz Clan. The Region South-West of Heidelberg is where many Mentz Clans emerged and later emigrated to countries around the world. Thousands of the Clan Mentz members came from many parts of Germany including: Edesheim, Edenkoben or "old German" Oedenkoben , Speyer, The Black Forest, Landau, Mentzbach, Wolfstein & Pfalzer Wald Forrest, Wuerttemberg, Rhineland, Preussen, Mannheim, Sachsen Coburg, Hessen, Baden, and other local German provinces. Several of the Mentz's from SouthWest Germany attended the University of Heidelberg. The Heidelberg Library has lists of graduates online and also lists of dissertations by Mentz family members beginning in about 1712. Example names and graduates of the University of Heidelberg are: Alfred, Paul, Richard, Frederich, and Dr. George. Other graduates include members of the Mentzingen noble family from the Barons of Mentzingen.

To See Many Mentz names, births, christining, baptisms, marriages etc in Germany and Rhineland Pfalz or Bavaria go to: LDS Family Search Database. Many Mentz's are from the wine country: Sudliche Weinstrasse surrounding Edenkoben and Edesheim which is between Landau in der Pfalz and Neustadt an der Weinstrasse which is also in the KurPfalz region. The Pfalz or old West Bavarian regions also had Menz or Mentz houses of nobility. Further, there may also be ancient noble Mentz Clans still located in the Mecklenburg region of Germany. This house is called Mentz or Menz von Ravensburg which was in the Western Pomerania area near Hamburg in Northern Germany. Also of interest is Menzingen OR Now Listed on maps as: Kraichtal, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. For research purposes, the Menz and Mentz families should note that Mentzingen or Menzingen and the Barons of Menzingen in Kraichtal/Menzingen are located only 39-45 miles from the Northern part of the Weinstrasse or Wine Route where many Menz or Mentz families were from. In history, the Mentz or Mentzingen name has been spelled with a T or sometimes without. On the latin, Papal, and English maps of the 1700s and 1800s, Mentz and derivitives of the name have included the T before the Z.

Catholic Heritage of the Mentz Clan

Most Mentz families in recent history were Roman Catholic. See list of 400+ members of Mentz Clan in Germany. In the late 1500s, you begin to find many Mentz Klan members registering births and marriages with the Catholic Churches throughout Bavaria and Germany. Most of the early birth records are written in latin or ancient roman languages as the Mentz Clans evolved from Roman Empire rule. Thousands of Mentz births and marriages are searchable in the Family Search Genealogy Databases. You will also find many Mentz families as members of The Evangelical Church in Germany (German Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, abbreviated as EKD) The EKD is a federation of 23 Lutheran, Reformed and United churches in their respective regions. As a note, the word for the great city of Mainz has also been spelled Mentz or Mayntz in maps and history books for centuries. Further, the City of Mainz/Mentz is on the Main River of which some equate the relation in sound to the Mentz name and orgins. See orgins of Mentz or Mainz City Name

Klan Chief or Chief of House of Mentz

The Mentzhausen "Mentz House" Clan Mentz family von Pfalz und Oedenkoben Mentzbach is one of the few from Old Bavaria (now Rhineland Pfalz) where the chiefship has descended in an unbroken blood line to the present day. Each year, Klan Mentz meets in various parts of the world to gather. Presently, the (Klan in German) Clan Mentz Chief is Georg-Philip IV or Georgius-Phillipus IV.

Although the word clan or klan in German is not used formally in the language anymore except to point out a group etc, the Mentz House has become an International Family over the last 400 years of global immigration. Therefore, we do use the name "Klan Mentz" Clan Mentz as there is NO Other Relevant English word to be used as a substitute.

Clan Profile

Mottos:

Nulli expugnabilis hosti "Conquered by No Enemy"

"Quod est inferius est sicut quod est superius, et quod est superius est sicut quod est inferius" - "As above so below" Hermes Trismegistus

Flower: The Tulip

Plant: The Grape (Mentz Clans were involved in wine making for centuries)

Crest: Tulip, Grapes, 3 Stars with Pfalz colours interior, and Grey Blue Falcon/Eagle surrounded by stars. Further, the rampant lion is small but centered in the shield.

Honorary Patrons

Arminius (also Hermann, Armin, 16 BC–AD 21) was a war chief of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusci who was the first Germanic Clan Leader to defect from the Roman Legions and later defeat a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Many say that the Famous Movie Gladiator is based on Arminius or [Hermann] in German.

Meister Eckhart - Johannes Eckhart (1260–1328), also known as Eckhart von Hochheim and widely referred to as Meister Eckhart, was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near Erfurt, in Thuringia. Meister is German for "Master", referring to the academic title he obtained in Paris.

Official Mentz Clan Cultural Holiday

Allerheiligen - All Saints Day Nov. 1st

See Also

List of Germanic Peoples

See LDS Family Search Database.

See list of 400+ members of Original Documented Mentz Family Clan

To see an array of various Mentz Coats of Arms, click here:

To see the Mentz Clan Name in Chinese Characters, Click Here

See Regions that Mentz Family Name came from to the USA

Some Early USA Mentz Pioneers from Germany Include: Benedict Mentz (1734) A landowner in Hanover, Philidelphia; Andreas Mentz (1750) from Palatine; and Hans Michael Mentz (1732) from Pfalz/ Palatine to New York City.

Some Mentz or Menz persons of Nobility - German Research in German