Where does the Yeltz name come from?

General Discussion about the mighty Yeltz
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B32Yeltz
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Where does the Yeltz name come from?

Post by B32Yeltz » 07 Sep 2021, 09:59

Hi all,

My 9 year old and I have recently started to attend matches this season and we are loving it, we also follow Villa but have become disenchanted with top flight game especially the money side of the game. I used to attend the Yeltz back in the early 2000’s and I think it’s safe to say we both have fallen for the club and attend most weekend matches.

We have one question that I can’t seem to find an answer to… why are we called the Yeltz??

#youyeltzzzz

410viawednesbury
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Re: Where does the Yeltz name come from?

Post by 410viawednesbury » 07 Sep 2021, 12:05

The Hungarian marksman Pungus Catfich used to shout "yeltz" when advancing down the pitch, to meet a cross, which translates as "on me head!"
That's my personal favourite, courtesy of an article in a old Halesowen fanzine.

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andy
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Re: Where does the Yeltz name come from?

Post by andy » 07 Sep 2021, 14:48

The most oft asked question of our club. We need a page dedicated to it somewhere (if there isn't already one, and I guess there is). Glad you pointed B32yeltz in the direction of Pungus as all Town officianado will be certain it could not just be a figment of Ada's imagination.
If you scour the internet B32 you will find may other (almost as plausible) explanations, from the corruption of the term 'Halas' to a button from the Grove factory next door sporting the word 'yelts', also stemming from the lingo at the time. There are many out there to be found if you take a look. After ruling them out you too will become a believer in Pungus Catfich.....
Proud owner of FOUR Georges O0 O0 O0 O0

BBNOW100
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Re: Where does the Yeltz name come from?

Post by BBNOW100 » 07 Sep 2021, 16:28

As others have pointed out, you will have a very hard time trying to find a definitive answer! I will work on setting up a page or weblink we can point to in future to better answer this question.

I wrote an article in the programme earlier this season with a very brief overview of the topic, but this is far from perfect. I've copied the article below, but I'm sure others will have different theories too:

The Origin of Yeltz

What better way to kickstart our series of historical articles than with one of Halesowen’s biggest mysteries: the origin of the nickname ‘Yeltz’. Over the years, many theories have been proposed, but each have their own unique problems. Here, I attempt not to convince you of any one theory, but instead to present the facts and let you choose for yourself. So, it’s up to you: where did the word ‘Yeltz’ come from?

Theory One: ‘Yalas’ to ‘Yeltz’ Theory
One of the most popular and plausible theories is an evolutionary one. Halesowen used to be called Hales Owen. Before that, Hales, and before that, Halas. Because the Black Country accent tends to change ‘H’ sounds into ‘Y’ sounds (i.e., “on yer yed son” rather than “on your head son,”) Halas became ‘Yalas’ which eventually became ‘Yeltz’.

This theory owes its origin to local historian Frank Somers whose 1932 book Halas, Hales, Hales Owen first traced the town’s name back to the Domesday Book. A 1969 article in the Birmingham Daily Post adds to Somers’ theory by arguing that ‘Yalas’ went through a series of transformations, including ‘Yeles’ and ‘Yelz’, before reaching ‘Yeltz’ as we know it today. This would certainly help explain the rather large jump between ‘Yalas’ and ‘Yeltz’ that goes otherwise unexplained.

However, this theory is not perfect. The biggest issue is that the changes Somers talks about happened almost a millennium ago. Given that ‘Yeltz’ only came into prominent use during the 19th century, there is no explanation for the 800 years of missing etymological history. Therefore, the idea that the word ‘Yeltz’ sprang fully formed into the Black Country dialect during the industrial revolution seems, at best, optimistic. What’s more, this explanation is heavy, long-winded, and fails to take into account the fact that language changes fairly slowly.

Ye Earls Theory
Another similar, but less popular, explanation is the Ye Earls theory. During the 19th century, the Earl of Dudley owned much of the land surrounding Halesowen. This land became known to residents as Ye Earls’ land, meaning “belonging to the Earl.” Eventually, Ye Earls became ‘Yeltz’, a far simpler and more direct etymological explanation that actually could have taken place during the 19th century.

But this theory too is not without its flaws. For one, there is only one written report of this account, that of a 1969 article in the Birmingham Daily Post. And while it is certainly a more easily digestible theory than the ‘Yalas’ to ‘Yeltz’ saga, it too suffers with a certain etymological optimism. It is perhaps for this reason that so few have heard of this origin story.

Yeltz Buttons
In March 2019, Black Country Bugle writer John Workman published an often-cited article titled “Reviving the possible origins of the word Yeltz.” Workman’s theory was that the James Grove Button company, which operated from a factory on the Stourbr*dge Road from 1866 until 2012, created the name ‘Yeltz’ (originally spelt ‘Yelts’) for one its buttons. The button featured the head of a buffalo with ‘Yelts Brand’ written around it.

Once again, however, this origin story immediately runs into problems. Mainly, simple correlation does not equal causation. It seems most probable that Mr. Grove did not invent the name ‘Yeltz’ but simply appropriated it for use on his buttons. Even if this were not the case, Workman is unable to provide a compelling reason why Mr. Grove would have come up with such a name in the first place. His best explanation is that factory workers would shout “I yet doing it” and, over the noise of loud machinery, “yet” eventually became ‘Yeltz’. But just like the Ye Earls theory, there seems to be no other evidence in support of this story, and, like the other theories, the etymological logic just does not seem to add up.

Other Theories
There are dozens of other theories, from Hungarian superstar Pungus Catfich to the name being a variant of “Up the Yellows.” But while some theories seem more plausible than others, each has at least one fundamental flaw. So, what is the answer? That, I’m afraid, is for you to figure out for yourself. A more detailed version of this article is soon to be published, so keep your eyes on Halesowen’s social media channels for that. In the meantime, enjoy today’s game, and if you have your own Yeltz theory, please feel free to email it to us: yeltzmen@gmail.com.
#YeltzTV

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Poll
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Re: Where does the Yeltz name come from?

Post by Poll » 07 Sep 2021, 19:37

I've copied the excellent summary above to https://yeltzland.net/originofyeltz.html, as a temporary holding page in case we need point people somewhere in the future - as I'm sure we will.

Also added a link to the brilliant Yeltzmen book - which I'm sure everyone on here has a copy of, but newcomers might appreciate it too.

B32Yeltz
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Re: Where does the Yeltz name come from?

Post by B32Yeltz » 07 Sep 2021, 22:43

Brilliant thanks so much!! You Yeltz

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