Kutz

Kutz (Kuts, Kuz, Coots) is a German surname with several origins. Some time ago it was considered that this word is derived from the Middle High German word "kötze" or “kütze”, which means a woven basket (Tragekorb) or a kind of a coarse woolen garment (Oberkleid). Subsequently, the name was believed to derive from the Old Polish–Lithuanian word "kucina", which means a cudgel-like weapon. However, currently an opinion prevails that etymologically the name Kutz is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "kūtiō". According to the Starling linguist's database, this word originally referred to birds of prey, not specified by kind. During the 14th and 18th centuries the word passed through a number of grammatical transformations from "kūtze" to "kutz", and finally into "kauz",. At present, this word translates from German as "owl".

The last name Kutz was previously common in Prussia. In the 17th to 20th centuries, East Prussia was periodically captured by Poland, Germany or the Russian Empire. This may account for some Kutz in central and eastern Europe. Kutz is also a Germanized respelling of Polish Kuc, a nickname for a short person from a noun meaning "pony". Provided by Wikipedia