Vin Zant's in Europe
The surname Zandt, can be seen in Germany’s recorded history. Its place of origin is the Rhineland of Germany. "Romantic Rhine", as it is commonly known and as it has been immortalized in songs. This region has been the site of many struggles between the Nations of France and Germany.
During the middle ages the Surname Zandt has been traced to the Palatinate region of the Rhineland, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the region. Eventually the name moved north with Count Palatine, to Duesseldorf in the duchy of Berg. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the feudal system and the nation. Extensive research into the history of names reveals that family surnames often undergo major changes over time. Particularly in the German language, also, because so few people could read or write scribes often recorded the name based on its sounds. Hence the spellings would often vary from region to region. Variations of the name Zandt include, Zandt, Zand and Zant to name a few.
Bearers of the family name moved to the Rhineland region of Trier, and later into the territories of Prussia and Bavaria. (Special links: Zandt, Bavaria and www.gemeinde-zandt.de ) There the surname Zandt became more prominent as one of the noble family names within these regions. The old Palatine stem of the family formed two main lines, the older line being represented by Baron Johann Franz von Zandt, the lord of Epfenbach, major general, and chamberlain at the Palatine court. His son Max (1778-1867), was the general of the Bavarian cavalry, while his son also named Max, was a Bavarian cavalry caption. The younger line became Prussian barons in 1827 in the person of Joseph von Zandt from Barlo (near Solingen) whose son Baron Ferdinand von Zandt (d.1825) was a general of the Prussian cavalry, and whose son Walther (b.1823), became the lord of Seehof near Bamberg. Of the prominent Trierian branch, the founder is generally taken to be Philipp von Zand von Merl, A hereditary ruler of Merl and Hamm in 1253. Whose descendents in the 16 th and 17th centuries exerted influence into the Trier, Cochem, and Koblenz regions. Of this line Wilhelm Zand became a general in the royal army. They established several branch houses of the name and were not confined to the region, moving within the great flux of migration in the 16th and 17th century Europe. Many migrated to capitalize on their interests in either region, military or political service.
In Saxony, they were also elevated to the ranks of nobility in 1829. Notable bearers of the surname Zandt at this time were Baron Johann Franz von Zandt, (as mentioned earlier) raised the family to great prominence at the courts of Palatinate and Bavaria.
European
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