The Origin of the Name Thesenvitz

The surname Thesenvitz has an interesting history, deeply rooted in the Pomeranian region and possibly connected to the historic noble Tessen family. This study sheds light on the origins, meaning, and historical context of these names.

Etymological Origins of the Name Thesenvitz

The surname Thesenvitz has primarily geographical roots and is derived from a place name. The main meaning of the surname is “naming according to origin from the settlement name Thesenvitz,” which is today a district of Bergen auf Rügen in the Vorpommern-Rügen district. This type of naming was common in the Middle Ages, when families were named after their places of origin. The linguistic roots of the surname Thesenvitz are Slavic in nature, more specifically of Polabian origin. According to Polish linguistic research, the name is derived from the personal name “Těšen” with an added patronymic and literally means “people of Těšen.” . In the Polish reconstruction, this place name would appear as “Cieszanowice.” An alternative interpretation suggests that the name represents a combination of Slavic and German elements. The Slavic part could derive from the Old Slavic term “thesissovitz” for “warrior of writing,” while the German part could be a combination of “vitz” (place) and “thesis” (view), which together would mean “place of writing warriors.” However, this interpretation appears less historically sound than the derivation from the place name.

The Tessen Noble Family

The Tessen family belonged to the Pomeranian nobility and was historically also known as Tessentze, Tetzen, or Tetze. The first documented mention of the family dates back to 1383, when the brothers Peter and Staske von Schmolsin were named as owners of Kierske, Schlochow, and Stohentin. The confirmed lineage of the noble family begins with the brothers Schwantes Tessen of Schmolsin and Johann Tessen of Poblotz and Darsekow. The family had significant influence in the region, as evidenced by the fact that it was able to provide chancellor three times under two dukes. However, the noble Tessen family died out in the male line with Schwantes von Tessen on April 1, 1608.

Civil Line of the Tessen

In addition to the noble line, there was also a civil line of the Tessen family. Around 1680, Friedrich Tessen (died before 1717) was mayor of Stolp, and in 1717, his widow bequeathed a quarter of an acre of land to the school for the poor in Stolp. In 1704, a Johann Tessen (died before 1731) was documented in Stolp, and in 1731 and 1738, his heirs donated 100 Reichstaler to the school for the poor. These individuals may have been descendants of the second branch of the Tessen family.

Connection between Thesenvitz and Tessen

The direct connection between the place name/surname Thesenvitz and the noble Tessen family cannot be clearly proven from the available sources. However, there are some interesting parallels and possible connections:

Linguistic similarity: The names Thesenvitz and Tessen may share a common linguistic root, possibly in the Slavic name “Těšen.”

Geographical proximity: Both the town of Thesenvitz and the noble Tessen family are located in the Pomeranian region.

Tessen-Wesierski: There was a family named Tessen-Wesierski (or Tessen-Wensierski) that was well-known in West Prussia.

This family was originally called “Cieszyca” and borrowed the nickname “Wensierski” or “Węsierski” from their former estate at Wensiory in Pomerania. From 1729 onwards, individual members appear in the church records of Stendsitz and Sullenschin, spelled “Tessa” or “Tessy.”

However, research has so far been unable to provide evidence of a direct ancestral relationship between the Tessen-Wesierski family and the noble Tessen family, which became extinct in 1608.

Famous people with the name Tessen

Some historically significant people who bore the name Tessen were: Tessen von Parsow (1572-1614): He was the hereditary lord of Parsow and Upall, as well as a colonel and councilor of the Duchy of Mecklenburg. He was born on February 27, 1572, the son of his father of the same name, Tessen von Parsow auf Parsow, Princely Pomeranian District Administrator and Chief Collector. Franz von Tessen-Wesierski (1869-1947): A German Roman Catholic theologian and priest. Karl Tessen (1900-1965): A German politician and trade unionist. Robert Tessen (1915-2002): An Austrian actor.

Prevalence of the name Thesenvitz

The name Thesenvitz is relatively rare today. According to search results, there are approximately 116 bearers of the name, which ranks it 31,714th in the list of common German surnames.

The name occurs primarily in Germany. There are 71 military records for the surname Thesenvitz, which indicates some historical presence of the name in military circles.

Conclusion

The name Thesenvitz originates from the town of the same name on Rügen and is derived from the Slavic personal name “Těšen.” Although a direct connection to the noble Tessen family cannot be clearly proven, there are linguistic and geographical parallels that could indicate a possible relationship.