About us
December 2020:
EXCITING TIMES FOR "Group 1"!
With the end of the year sale, we have already had one upgrade to Y-111 in "Litzinger Group 1", and also have two upgrades to Big Y 700 due back in Jan. or Feb. 2021. Those will be the third and fourth Big Y 700 tests in Group 1 so far. There is also a Y-37 test coming back in early 2021 for Group 1 as well.
One of the Big Y 700 tests coming back will confirm for sure whether the Conrad and Leonard line that came to Pennsylvania in the USA in 1753 connects to the Mathias Lützinger (b.1620-30) line in Germany and what the approximate date of common ancestor is.
We have a pending test for the oldest living descendant of Leonard's second son, John Jacob Litzinger (1773). This is the first Y-DNA test by anyone on Jacob's branch that includes many of our Ohio, Minnesota, and Washington cousins. This line has 28+ living males with the Litzinger name.
We also have a pending test from the oldest living descendant of Leonard's fourth son, John Leonard Litzinger (1777). The 40 living males with the Litzinger name on this branch are spread up and down the east coast, from Connecticut to Alabama, with several also in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
We now have at least one test from a descendant of EACH of Leonard's five sons born in Gossenhoppen, PA, EXCEPT for his third son John Litzinger (1775). John (1775)'s about 25 living male descendants with the Litzinger name are mostly in Pennsylvania, with a few in Ohio, Maryland, and California..
Leonard, or Leonhardt, who was born in Germany and came to the USA when he was only 9-12 years old in 1753, had five sons born in Gossenhoppen, PA, and now has 280+ male descendants with the Litzinger name spread all over the USA. Of all the surviving Litzinger lines in Germany, the USA, and other parts of the world, Leonards descendants appear to be the largest group in the world.
GROUP 2 AND GROUP 3 COULD BE RELATED IN THE MIDDLE AGES
Group 2 (Michael Lützinger b.1709 Germany) and Group 3 (Johann Philip Lutz/Litz b. 1700-04 Germany) have all only tested to Y-37 so far, but the 37 STR markers are close enough that they could share a common ancestor in the middle ages. If one tester in each group eventually upgrades to Big Y 700 at some point, we will get a date of common ancestor between the two groups. One kit in Group 2 has upgraded to 111 STR markers with the Dec. sale, so now we need one person in Group 3 to also upgrade to 111 STR markers.
JOHANNES - OF THE ONE LITSINGER LINE
The upgrade to Y-111 hints that the Johannes Litzinger line (Germany to MD, USA and became one of the Litsinger spelled lines, with a "S") might actually connect two or three generations further back than Conrad and Leonard, possibly to a brother or the father of Mathias Lutzinger. Once that kit is upgraded to Big Y 700, we will find out for sure where Johannes connects to everyone else and what the branching looks like.
NO MISSOURI LITZSINGERS YET
The only major distinct Litzinger line in the USA that no one has done a Y-DNA test at all so far is the Missouri Litzsingers with the "Z and S" spelling. This Missouri line could possibly to connect to the Conrad and Leonard line further back in time and might also connect to the Mathias Lutzinger line in Germany as well. We need one or two males from this line to do a Y-DNA test for the project.
BURGHART ADAM LITZINGER OF VOLKERSBACH
One tester in Germany and two testers in the USA descended from Burghart Adam Litzinger (b.1763) from Volkersbach, Germany have matched closely at 37 STR markers. We have not yet been able to determine who Burghart Adam Litzinger's father or grandfather were in Germany yet. One tester has upgraded to 111 STR markers with the Dec. sale.
FOUR DIFFERENT LINES IN GERMANY
So far, we have found four different Lutzinger/Litzinger lines in Germany. It is possible there might be a fifth that no one has tested from yet.
Randy
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Randy
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October 2019
This is an interesting video showing how Big Y 700 test results (SNP markers) are being combined with the Y-37, 67, & 111 (STR markers) results to figure out family trees going farther back in time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxexkvfus6w&fbclid=IwAR3Zx6TQcpcFTDBlBPnMwdpVkmCLZMWcw21Bntm8YLJCvORk16eC0726fnc-------------------------------------------
February 2018
The tester that descends from Burghart Adam Litzinger b.~1764 Völkersbach, Germany does not match (in the last 400 years) any of the other 21 male testers in the project so far. This means they do not descend from Mathias Lützinger b.1620-35 near Koblenz, Germany. It would be great to get a male Litzinger that currently lives in the Volkersbach area of Germany, or Baden-Baden, or Stuttgart, to test and see if they match this tester, and also another of the North Dakota, USA Litzingers as well.
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January 2018
NAMESAKE TOWNS IN GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, AND AUSTRIA
We have now identified several different namesake towns related to the origin of our family lines:
1. In west central Germany (northwest of Koblenz), there are three modern day towns almost beside one another in a northeast diagonal: Lützingen, NiederLützingen, and Brohl-Lützing. Middle age references to this area as early as the 1000s, mention: Lützing, Luzino, Lucinc, Lütznik, and Liutzing; and later in the middle ages, starting in the 1200s: Lützingen.
2. Lützingen/Leutzingen near Waldbrohl, Germany (much farther north of Koblenz, and much father northwest from the Leacher Sea, Niederzissen, Neiderlutzingen, and Brohl-Lutzing.)
3. Lützen southwest of Leipzig, Germany. There since at least the 1200s. The location of the Battle of the Lützen during the Thirty Years War in 1630.
4. In southern Germany (to the northwest of Augsburg, and the east of Heidenheim) there is a town named Lützingen.
5. In Switzerland, there is a Leuzingen near Netstal and Glarus, that was once much bigger, but now has been incorporated into part of Netstal.
6. In Austria, (between Salzburg and Linz) there is a town named Litzing not far from the German border.
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December 2017
Someone just tested that descends from Burghart Adam Litzinger b.~1764 Völkersbach, Germany. Results are due back around Feb. 2018. It will be interesting to see if he matches the Mathias Lützinger b.~1620-1635 Germany or not, and which USA Litzingers match Mathias or Burghart Adam in Germany, or not.
UPDATE February 2018: This tester does not match any of the other 20 male testers in the project so far. This means they do not descend from Mattias Lützinger b.1620-25. It would be great to get a male Litzinger that currently lives in the Volkersbach area of Germany to test and see if they match this tester, and also one of the North Dakota, USA Litzingers as well.
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December 2017
MARYLAND LITSINGERS MATCH PENNSYLVANIA LITZINGERS AND ONE GERMAN LITZINGER
A descendant of Johannes Litzinger/Litsinger (b.~1705) upgraded from 12 to 37 Y-DNA markers.
Supposedly Johannes had two sons, Peter Litsinger (1732) and Henry Litsinger (1735) that populated the Baltimore, MD, USA area. Two testers descended from Johannes have now tested. The other tester, descends from Johannes's "likely" son Henry Litsinger (1735) (paper evidence has not been found to prove Henry is the son of Johannes) and has tested to 67 markers. The two descendants of Johannes match at 35/37 markers (one has tested to 67, and one to 37)
The Henry Litsinger (1735) descendant matches three Conrad Litzinger descendants 65/67 markers, and a fourth Conrad descendant at 62/67 markers. The recently upgraded other Johannes descendant matches a total of six Conrad Litzinger descendants: two Conrad descendants at 37/37, another at 36/37, two more at 35/37, and another at 33/37.
We need more people to test with the LITSINGER spelling, especially those who know their line farther back in MD. It appears that Johannes could be a close relative of Conrad and his son Leonard Litzinger in Pennsylvania, possibly even a brother or first cousin. OR, ...Henry Litsinger (1735) could be a son of Conrad and brother of Leonard. It also will be needed for one of the Litsingers to do a R-L2 SNP pack (or just test for the specific SNP: R-BY3506) to see if the terminal SNP comes out the same as the Conrad Litzinger line has so far.
The two Litsingers also match the tester in Germany descended from Mathias Lützinger (b. 1620-25 or 1635 in Germany). at 62/67 (Henry descendant) and 34/37 (Johannes descendant) markers. Though not close matches, that loosely confirms the legend/theory that this specific Maryland Litsinger family's name was Lutzinger in Germany and when they came to the USA, it was changed to various spellings: Litzinger, Litsinger, Lutsinger, Letsinger.
It would be great to get a second and third descendant of Matthias Lützinger living in Germany (from any other branch) to test and compare as well. There may be other Lutzinger/Litzinger lines currently living in Germany, some which connect back to Matthias, and some that don't.
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May 2017
FIRST GERMAN LITZINGER RESULTS
Exciting results are back from the first tester living in Germany who descends from Mathias Lützinger (b. 1620-25 or 1635 in Germany). The tester matched two Conrad Litzinger descendants in the USA 63/67 markers, another Conrad Litzinger descendant 62/67 markers, and another at 61/67 markers. He also matched one Henry Litzinger/Litsinger (b.1735) 62/67 markers.
It would appear that the Conrad Litzinger descendants in the USA likely could be related to this German tester and as a result, many of the current Lutzingers and Litzingers in Germany, and connect back to Matthias Lutzinger (b. 1620-35) as well. A Big Y test would prove this for sure.
It would be great to get a second and third descendant of Matthias Lützinger living in Germany (from any other branch) to test and compare as well. There may be other Lutzinger/Litzinger lines currently living in Germany, some which connect back to Matthias, and some that don't.
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February 2015
MARYLAND LITSINGERS MATCH PENNSYLVANIA LITZINGERS
Two descendants of Johannes Litsinger (b.~1705) have now tested. Supposedly Johannes had two sons, Peter Litsinger (1732) and Henry Litsinger (1735) that populated the Baltimore, MD, USA area. One descendant from Peter has tested, but only 12 y-DNA markers, so they need to upgrade (hint, hint) to 37 or 67 markers to really be able to compare to different testers and spellings. The other tester, descends from Johannes's son Henry Litsinger (1735) and has tested to 67 markers. This tester matches three Conrad Litzinger descendants 65/67 markers, and a fourth Conrad descendant at 62/67 markers.
We need more people to test with the LITSINGER spelling, especially those who know their line farther back in MD. If this trend continues, it appears that Johannes could be a close relative of Conrad and his son Leonard Litzinger in Pennsylvania, possibly even a brother or first cousin. That would also confirm the legend/theory that this specific family's name was Lutzinger in Germany and when they came to the USA, it was changed to various spellings: Litzinger, Litsinger, Lutsinger, Letsinger.
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