Kountz Family History
The Genealogy of the Kountz Family
Purpose and Mission
The Kountz Family National Foundation (KFNF) is a non-profit Foundation. It is incorporated in the State of New Mexico. KFNF is tax-exempt under US IRS Internal Revenue Code, paragraph 501 (c)(3). Our mission is to study, research, interpret, and preserve family history and the achievements of our family and related families through the ages. We promote family interaction. We stimulate interest in family history by funding and maintaining active research programs, and by supplying historical and genealogical information on our family and related families to interested persons and the public. We further stimulate interest in family history and genealogy through reunions with exhibits, programs, workshops, and lectures. The interactions of our family, and related families, with World history are studied to provide insight into the achievements of our family in important historical, governmental, and religious movements of the time.
These objectives are found in the Articles of Incorporation and in the By-Laws of the KFNF. These documents state that the KFNF shall not engage in any activities not permitted by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. This means that all donations in funds and "in kind" (such as books, documents, artifacts, useful items, etc.) to the KFNF are tax exempt and are deductible on the donor's tax return. Donors should make checks payable to the foundation using the full name of the foundation: "Kountz Family National Foundation." Donations in funds should be addressed to the KFNF Chairman, Michael Kountz. Donations of "in kind" items should be addressed to Michael Kountz, Chairman. Before sending "in kind" items, please contact the Chairman for information and shipping instructions. Items to be donated at the death of an individual should be listed with KFNF in advance (please contact the Chairman) and instructions should be left with wills and estate disposition instructions.
Donate
All donations are tax deductable, and no money goes any member of the association,
save in rare cases when an expense is paid out of pocket and needs to be reimbursed.
Where Your Donation Goes
Family Tree Maker 2017 Software: 79.99 PURCHASED 2018! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Genealogy based research site memberships: 199.98 / Yearly
Archion.de monthly pass (German language records): 25.00 / Monthly Pass
Domain name registration, site hosting, email: 50.00 / Yearly or 250.00 / 6 Years
Laptop for Foundation work: 750.00 PURCHASED 2019! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Professional Genealogist / German Language Researcher: 3,000.00
Archival materials / storage boxes, dessicant, etc: 250.00
We will also gladly accept in kind donations of any of the above.
Kountz Family DNA Project
Many of the Kountz families in America today are descended from one John Christian Kuntz, who came to America from the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany in 1852, presumably alone, and settled in Louisville, Kentucky. In Louisville the name Kuntz changed to Kountz (pronounced Koontz). From there the Kountz family spread to Indiana, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee, Ohio, California, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, and can be found in many other states as well.
The problem faced by descendants of this man is that no records are currently available online regarding his pre-American history. The court book that held his immigration records is the only to have been stolen from the Kentucky archives. The church records for his family were lost in transit to a new home. No ship record has yet been found to document his journey to America. Many years and thousands of dollars have been spent in the attempt to locate the records of John Christian Kuntz's origin, but no progress had been made. Then Michael Kountz, a direct descendant of John, took his first Y-DNA test with FTDNA.
The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation collected over 100,000 DNA samples and familial pedigrees from all over the world. It had a publicly accessible database that allowed people with their own Y-DNA test results to compare their results to the Sorenson database. Michael submitted his Y-DNA results to be compared with the database, and found some very interesting results. Four members of the Sorenson database, all with a variant of the last name "Kinsey," showed as being descended from the same man as Michael, and that man lived relatively recently. The pedigree information that accompanied those results showed that each member traced their lineage back to the same person: one Christian Kuntzi from Switzerland. According to these pedigrees, Christian Kuntzi was born in Bilten, Konolfingen District, Switzerland abt 1700. Christian died Nov 1774 Alsace Tonwship, Berks, PA, at 74 years of age. His body was interred 1774 in Kinsey Cemetery, Kinsey Homestead, Oley, Berks Co, PA.
The similarity of the name Kuntzi to Kuntz is exciting. Given that he immigrated in the early 1700's, though, it is clear that the Kountzes in America are not descended from him. Instead, Christian Kuntzi and John Christian Kuntz share a paternal ancestor in relatively recent history. This means that perhaps a brother or an uncle stayed behind in Switzerland to raise their family, which moved at some point to Baden, Germany, before coming to America in 1852.
It is our ultimate goal to use this group to connect the American branches of this family to those still living in the ancestral homeland: Switzerland, or even Germany. The descendants of this man and his family exhibit a wide variety in the spelling of their surnames; Kountz, Kinzy, Kuntzli, and Kinsey are some examples. To contribute to this DNA study, a male with one of these surnames (or a similar name) must test Y-DNA to at least 67, though we will not turn away anyone who has tested less.
While that is our primary objective, we still welcome members of any Kountz family, male or female, who have taken any DNA test. These can help link family members together who may not know that they're related.
The descendants of Christian Kuntzi who tested with the Sorenson Foundation were all of Haplogroup I1, as well as one descendant currently in this group. Michael Kountz is also I1. More specifically: I-A6397. All males directly descended from John Christian Kuntz with the Kountz/Kuntz surname will belong to the same haplogroup.
How You Can Help
Those interested in obtaining a Y-DNA test and contributing to the Study are eligible to recieve the testing at a discounted rate through the Study by
Clicking HERE.
The Y-DNA test is only applicable for male testers, as women do not have a Y chromosome. Please only urchase the Y-DNA test if it is to be used
by a male with the surname Kountz, Kuntz, Koontz, or one of the many variations thereof.
For others interested in contributing to the study, a common autosomal DNA test can be taken at any of the Big 3 testing companies: ftdna.com,
23andme.com, and ancestry.com. When you receive your test results, please use the Contact Us link on the main page for instructions on how to get
your results added to our database and analyzed by our expert.
We will add a summary of our current research projects, goals and needs, shortly. In the meantime, you can
click HERE to go to the page for our
family DNA study.