This is an Anglicized form of the old German Flemish (and possibly Huguenot) surname Linz or Linze, first recorded in England in the early 17th Century, but possibly of earlier entry. The surname is recorded in Riestapps Armorial General for France as the "Vicomptes de Linz", with Linz itself being a south German town, the name is therefore locational. The coat of Arms is quartered, showing two golden horse shoes in quarters one and four and rampant greyhounds in quarters two and three. The name recording examples include Mary Lints who married William Spranger on November 12th 1639 at St. Leonard's church, Eastcheap, London, whilst in 1715, on April 9th another John Linze married Elizabeth Dent at St. James church, Dukes Place, London. The name spelling appears to have alternated between Linze and Lints. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Linze, which was dated December 2nd 1604, married Joan Saunders at St. Margaret's, Westminster, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.