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Ratzlaff (Ratzloff, Raatslaf, Retzlaff), a family name found among the Mennonites of West Prussian and Danzig background in Russia and North and South America. The name appeared particularly among the Flemish Mennonites of Kleinsee (Jeziorka, Przechovka-Konopath, and Kazun) and is supposed to have been derived from the Slavic name Ratislav.
The first (Ratzlaff). His first name is unknown. He was a Swedish soldier who, on hearing a sermon, stuck his sword into a hedgpost and broke it in half and subsequently joined the Mennonite religion through baptism. He may have been a Swedish soldier in the European Civil War (30 Years War 1618-1648) He may have been a contract soldier (mercenary) of Slavic origin fighting for the King of Sweden.
He married the daughter of Aeltester Voth of Kulm. There are claims (of unknown origin) that he went to Holland to be baptized. However there is no evidence that this actually happened.