Lettow was a by-name in XIV c. given to a few Pomeranian nobles from Vorbe(c)k Ur Adel family who went to assist Olgierd (Lit. Algirdas) and Witold /Witowt (Lit.Vytautas) - the Gr. Dukes of Lithuania. Apparently 'Lettow' meant "Lithuania" in Saxon (see "Canterbury tails" by Chaucer). With a few variants like Lettau, Lettaw, Litav, Littauer or Littawer it was also adopted by some other Vorbeks in Pomerania. In Lithuania, later on, it was used as Lettowt/Letowt. In XX c. Lithuanian surname policy changed it to Letautas... Today, most of them live in Germany and USA, some in Holland as 'van Lettow', a few in Austria, Canada, UK, South Africa, South America, Latvia, probably in Russia or even in China (in XIX and XX c. several Letowts lived and worked in Harbin and Shanghai).
Chronologically it can refer to:
Ulryk Vorbek (c.1215–1301) landlord of Wittow in Gr. Duchy of Rugen/Rugia, Drawhen/Drzewiany, Pritsig/Przytocko in central Pomerania, Lublew/Lublewo south of Łeba Lake and Altdorf/Stara Wieś near Lemburg/Lębork. With his first wife Sabina Segebadin he had 3 sons: Adrian, Reimar and Achacy. From his second wife Adelgunda Warninin was son Eryk, the ancestor of all below mentioned:
Maciej Vorbek-Lettow (1593–1668) born in Vilnius (Lithuania), dr med. from University of Padowa, major of Vilnius, for 19 years military medicus in Livonia for hetman (fieldmarshal) of Lithuania - prince Krystofer Radziwiłł. After that he became the personal physician, secretary and treasury courtier of Vladislav the IV - king of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ruthenia, Prussia, Sweden, Courland, Semigalia and Livonia. His memoirs "Skarbnica pamięci" (Treasury of memories). One of his sons:
Krzysztof-Zbigniew-Wiktoryn Lettow-Vorbek (1621–96), Nobility Marshal of Starodub district, Field Guard of Lithuania, king's secretary & treasury courtier for Lithuania, Colonel of Horse Cav.(with own Cossacks and Tatars Regiments), MP from Starodub, land judge + other functions & honors. His 2 sons:
(1) Henryk L-V gen. baron in Berlin; (2) gen. Krystyn-Lucjan de Lettow - Commander of Polish Royal Guards Horse Regiment, his son gen. Ludwik-Henryk L-V in Berlin + 2 daughters married Horse Royal Guards generals, where Zofia-Maria L-V was mother of gen. Jan Henryk Dąbrowski (1755–1818) - Founder/Chief Commander of Polish Legions in Italy under Napoleon, Senator-Voivode and Chief of the Army of Polish Kingdom; after him goes the Polish National Anthem - "Mazurek Dąbrowskiego".
Oskar von Lettow-Vorbeck (1839–1904) professor, general - a distinguished Prussian military scholar/writer on tactics in Berlin Military Academy.
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck (1870–1964), son of gen. Paul Karl v.L-V of Wangeritz (Wegorzyce near Stettin in West Pomerania), the Prussian World War I general, called "The Lion of Africa" - see literature & films. His grand daughter Helene Duchess von Oldenburg (d. of Graff Christian zu Rantzau & Heloise v.L-V).
Hans Albert von Lettow-Vorbeck (1901–1942), a World War II general, Commander of the 27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck, nephew of Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck.
Witold Letowt-Vorbek (1895–1973) colonel, med. dr in Polish Air Force, RAF Sq. Leader (during the Battle of Britain WW2) before also a sport pilot and member of 7-men Polish rowing crew for Berlin Olympics.
