[Malte] Family name CANZUH

[angelas21]

Hello everyone,

While doing some personal research, I came across an ancestor with the surname CANZUH (apparently also written as CANZUHUC in some records) in Zejtun during the period ~1660-1700

This surname does not exist in Malta anymore and I can not find much information on it. 

Would anyone have information on its origins and what might have happened to the family name? Does anyone else have it in their family trees?

Thank you (responses in French are also welcome)

[Gander Georges]

Hi Angela,

According to Godfrey WETTINGER, the surnames has disapperared before 1500. It's strange to find it again around 1700.

Godfrey states : "It is clear that there was a consistent effort during the later Middle Ages to move away
from the more obvious Arabic and Muslim names. Thus surnames like Muhammed, Xara,
CANZUHUC (whatever the latter meant), Razul, Cahalun, Duhamuri, Gibasal, Hafaride, Harabi,..."

So, I understand that the origin of CAZUNHUC is Arabic (See Attached PDF)

Regards.

---

See also the page dedicated to "Maltese Surnames" by Olivier GALEA, still based on Godfrey WETTINGER (in French) :

http://ogalea.chez.com/nomsmaltais.htm

We notice 3 CANZUHUC in 1419 (Gudja, Zebbug and Civitas)

[g.buldrini]

Dear Angela,
my great-grandmother was a Canzuch (#7). Her father, Luis, left Malta and got married (December 1823) island of Tinos (now Greece, then Ottoman Empire) to Maria (Margitsa) Perpignani †1849. Their children are:
1. François CANZUCH 1829-1897 (married 2 times)
2. Veneranda CANZUCH 1830-1903
3. Noël CANZUCH 1833-1905
4. Joseph CANZUCH 1835-1911
5. Charles "Marc" Nicolas CANZUCH 1839-1925 (m. 3)
6. Catherine CANZUCH ca 1844-1924 (m. to Alessandro MARCOVICH)
7. Victoria CANZUCH 1846-1911
I have a large family tree and some ideas about the origin of the name (quoted in the "Militia list"). Tell me please about your ancestors. Ciao!
Guido Buldrini - Roma, Italy

[angelas21]

Dear Georges,

Thank you very much for your research. Indeed it is very interesting that Canzuh was still around in the early 1800s (very few names) but it has completely disappeared now. 

From the geneanum database, it seems that it was a very small family mainly living in Zabbar and Zejtun. It was listed in the militia list of Gudja in the 1400s. 

But I cannot understand the meaning of the name, it is strange. 



Dear Guido,

Wow that is very interesting! The last record I could find for the surname was in 1804 in Birgu and 1814 in Zurrieq. So the few remaining by then must have emigrated (your ancestors). 

My ancestor (and the last Canzuh in our family) from the 17th century was Evangelista Canzuh, daughter of Lorenzo and Mattiola from Zejtun. 

So you might have a Lorenzo and Mattiola Canzuh from Zejtun in your family tree? They both died in 1676, the same year Evangelista married.

I would love to read your theory on the origin of the surname!

Regards,

Angela