Prologue

At the beginning I have to state some basic facts about the name. The name Zwanziger is an old German name. It arose in  12th century somewhere in Bawaria. It is derivation from old-german word - Zwanen (Swan)  and tlater it has slowly changed to words Zwanger and final word Zwanziger. 

   The name came to Slovakia with the old Sachses settlers (all German spoken people were called Sachsen in Slovakia in the middle age).  For the moment  I am not able to speciffy the real time of their arrival, but the first verified notice I have found in the year 1694.  I suposse the first Zwanzigers came to Slovakia much more earlier, may be  with the fist stage of colonization of arising German´s towns in Spis region.  Later  their descendants moved to smaller willages in  surrounded regions. 

Drawn from history: 

The first stage of German colonization of Slovakia was in the 12th to 14th century and it was the strongest one. Especially the middle of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th  century (after the Tatars attacks) brought a strong German element into the Slovak economy, law and culture. As German colonists lived in developed settlements they obtained wide royal privileges. This was the time when the Spiš region (cities:  Levoca, Kesmarok) was colonized together with mining towns such as Kremnica and Banská Stiavnica.

There  two different lines of descendant of first Zwanzigers. The first one is derived  from Joannes Zvanziger who lived in Spišsky Hrhov ((Saspes Gorgo) in 19 century and he came there from Levoca (Levoča) where his ancestors lived at least since 1694.  The second  linia has arised from Cvancigers lived in several villages located in Šariš. Ancestors of this linia came to this vilages about 20th-  30th of 19 century. I have not been succesfull in searching of they place of origin untill now. Only in one of this ancestor is written that he came from Lublo  (Stará Ľubovňa), but in the records from Stara Lubovna I could find out any facts.  I suppose, the second line arrised from Levoca too.  Probably one Zvanziger lived in Levoca depatured and this second line arise from him. 

In my web pages I  write about both lines separately. 

The first line describe ancestors from Levoca and I suppose the second line derived from them.  

For long time I have tried to find out more facts about first ancestors of second line but I has not been succesful  untill now. The reason that they originated from first line is from two facts: 

1.  one Brooklet nearby Levoča has the name Zwanziger (with this spelling). It could mean 2  possible  facts - either the very old name derived from one of first settlers of Levoča - Sachsen setllers in 12-13 centuries or a much more newer name given according to some important person with this name in history of Levoča.  I listed many records and  only one Zwantziger is more imporant - Christian Zwanziger lived in 18th century - author of one document and the priest probably. It is the same person like the very first recorded Zvanziger in Levoca with the wedding on 1694.  

2. In the same time lived in small  german town next Zvanziger - Michal Zvanziger.  He was a teacher in one and only school in the city  - Vrbov city.   

 There are two educated and important Zwazigers lived in the same time, with similar age and located  in two germans cities very closely. It could mean some familiar conection between them.  May be Michael Zvaniger is first ancestor of second line. I am not sure and more facts. 

coat of arms: Zwanziger