Schätzlein, also known as Schätzlin, Schäzlin, Scheczeln, Scheczlin, Schetzelin, Schetzelinus, Schetzlein, Schetzler, Schetzelin, Schetzlin, Schetzzelin, Schezel, Schezelein, Schezelin, Schezlein, Schezlin, Schezzelin, Schezzlin, anglicised Schaetzlein or Schatzlein, is most likely a surname of Franconian origin, as the family name suffix “-lein” is typical for that region.
The etymology is unclear; while Edmund Nied’s Fränkische Familiennamen urkundlich gesammelt und sprachlich gedeutet (1933) says that the meaning is clear, as a person with surname “Liebschatz” (lit. “dear darling”) appeared in another place under the name “Schätzlein” (in this context: “little darling”), this took place centuries after the first mentioning of Schätzlein. Other possible etymologies are “schätzen” (i.e. to taxate someone, as a name of a tax collector) or “Schatz” (i.e. “darling” or “treasure”).
The first documented mentions of each name variant known to me are:
- Schezelin (1196)
- Schezzelin (1250)
- Schetzelinus (1260)
- Schätzlein (1289)
- Scheczlin (1303)
- Schezzilin (1305)
- Schezlin (1321)
- Schetzelin (1322)
- Schetzlin (1323)
- Scheczeln (1350)
- Schetzler (1385)