Mentz 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: 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.

History of the Mentz 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 (Augusto Nemetum or Speyer). As history shows, it was difficult at this time to organize as an open clan due to the the occupations of various Roman Military and later 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 cheif was Johann Georg Josef the II.

The Mentz Clans were under the Kingdoms of the Ezzonian Empire, Counts Palantine , Electors of Palantine ( House of Wittelsbach ) until 1803. Then French and Napoleon 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.

In 1815, under the Mentz Clan "warrior leader" Johann Georg Josef II, the Mentz clans banded together and declared the independent and neutral empire of PfalzerVolk on the eastern boundary of Bavaria because the French and German boundary disputes over the land had left uninhabited and disputed territory. This independent nation only lasted for 90 days because the rebellion was crushed. 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 Clan Raugraf" which are lords and protectors over the uninhabited districts of Pfalz 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 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 a small flag planted in the Pfalzerwald Forrest "Palatinate" as he reconquered the land of the orgins of many Mentz's. 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 lived a long and fruitful life and 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 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 over 1000 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 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. Of course, there are thousands of Mentz Families in the USA, Europe, Latin and South America, Australia, and South Africa. The Germanic Mentz Tribes from Old Bavaria were mostly farmers, laborers, bakers, forresters, 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 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, Wolfstein & Pfalzer Wald Forrest, Wuerttemberg, Rhineland, Preussen, Mannheim, Sachsen Coburg, Hessen, Baden, and other local German provinces. See LDS Family Search Database. Many Mentz's are from the wine country: Sudliche Weinstrasse surrounding Edenkoben and Edesheim which is between Landau and Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. Further, there are also ancient noble Mentz Clans still located in the Mecklenburg region of Germany.

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 Clan 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 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.

Clan Chief

The Clan Mentz family of Pfalz von Oedenkoben 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, Clan Mentz meets in various parts of the world to gather. Presently, the Clan Mentz Chief is Georg-Philip IV or Georgius-Phillipus IV.

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 surrouned 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 defeat a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

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