Myths and Truths
Myth: Our name was originally Von Kautz.
Truth: We have records dating back 100's of years and our name is recorded as Kautz on all of them except for a few which list Kauz as a surname. Kauz is the German word for screech owl and is most likely the origin of our name.
Myth: Our ancestors were royalty who fled a castle and didn't return.
Truth: There is no evidence of our family having a noble lineage. In fact, our records show that our ancestors lived in standard housing and were often skilled crafstmen or farmers.
Myth: The family religion is Baptist.
Truth: In church records dating back 100's of years our family was listed as Catholic. Edwin Kautz was the first family member to join the Baptist Church in the early 20th century along with his mother Rosa. Since then our growing family has chosen many denominations and many faiths.
Myth: Kautz means cook in German.
Truth: Kautz is derived from the German word kauz meaning 'screech owl'. It also can mean 'a little bird who sits by the window'. At times, Kautz's have been referred to as 'strange birds'. Certainly, a screeech owl is a strange bird.