The Detwiler Family Name:
DETWILLER, DETWEILER, DETWILER, TETWYLER, DATWYLER and TITWYLER are believed to be derivation of an individual, DETO, who in roman times, built his house in Canton AARGUA, Switzerland, and whose descendents were called by his name and that of his house, i.e., “DETO-VILLA” (villa, Latin for house).
Tradition asserts that while those later bearing the above forms of the name are not descendents of DETO, many of them are descendants of a noble family which came into possession of “Deto’s Villa” or Datwyl, as it came to be known in a remote time; many families whose surname are various forms of the above, trace their linage to very early times and a few of them to the locality of the town Datwyl. Teutonic Heraldic Law allows families of similar surnames to bear similar arms, slight variation being customary.
Another source states the name “DETTWEILER” is originally Austrian and had a coat of arms and helmet. In 1300 the Austrian name was spelled “Detville” and between 1303 and 1311 there was record of them giving their yearly tribute to the Hapsburgs. In about 1590 Jacob and George Dettweiller were both in Saget and then in Langebruck an. Um around 1600. In 1601 a Henry Dettweiller paid an amount of 480 pounds in penalty for his brother because of their religious beliefs and being accused of baptizing. In 1711 there was a man known to be Christen Datwyler in Wittwyl.
John is a direct descendent of Hans and Susanna Detweiler who probably arrived in Pennsylvania between 1710 and 1720. “The 1728 Petition For Protection Against The Indians” includes Hans Detweiler. This petition serves as a good census for Upper Montgomery County Pennsylvania including the Perkiomen Valley, Berber Township, where Hans and Susanna Detweiler lived near the Perkiomen Creek. Many of the men who signed this petition were Mennonites including Hans Detweiler who was the 19th of 77 signers of the petition.
From: “The Genealogy of the DETWEILER, DETWILER Family”, Elizabeth A. Zern Smith, 1993
Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans . . .
