Forms: 3–4 fiz, (3 fyz), (5 fice, fytz), 4– fitz. [AF. spelling of OF. fiz:—earlier filz:—Lat. fīlius son.
The form is due to the phonetic law in OF. that a palatalized l caused a succeeding s to become ts (written z).]
The Anglo-French word for ‘son’; chiefly Hist. in patronymic designations, in which it was followed by the name of a parent in the uninflected genitive. Some of these survive as surnames, e.g., Fitzherbert, Fitzwilliam, etc.; in later times new surnames of the kind have been given to the illegitimate children of royal princes. † Also in 12–15th c. used occas. in adopted AF. phrases, Beau fitz = ‘fair son’; fiz a putain = ‘whoreson.’
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 432. Syre Roberd le Fyz Haim my fader name was.
a. 1300. Signa ante Judicium, 179, in E. E. P. (1862), 12. Merci ihsu fiȝ mari.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11879 (Gött.). ‘Fiz a putaines,’ he said, ‘quat er ȝe?’
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. X. 311. ‘Beau fitz,’ quaþ þe fader · ‘we shulleþ for defaute.’
c. 1435. Torrent of Portugal, 2535.
| With hym come Antony ffiz Greffon, | |
| With moche solempnité. |
c. 1450. Merlin, 299. Leff the lady, traitour fitz aputain!
c. 1470. Hardyng, Chron., CCXLI. iii. Henry le Fytz Empryce.
1655. Fuller, The Church-History of Britain, IX. Ded., 49. You shall be even in the language of the Apostle himself, Fitz-Dieu, A Son of God.
1814. Mrs. West, Alicia de Lacy, II. 92. The contentions of Henry Fitz-empress with Eleanora of Guienne, when four sons, taking part in the quarrel of their parents, successively rose in rebellion against their father.
b. nonce-use. One whose surname begins with Fitz; i.e., an Irishman of Anglo-Norman extraction.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. (1858), II. 130. The Fitzes sometimes permitted themselves to speak with scorn of the O’s and Macs.
