Zufall Through the Ages
(Spelling and Pronounciation)

Zufall is and was pronounced in Germany like "tsoo" and the "ull" in seagull.
Spelling through the ages:
1476 - Zufall
1478 - Thovall
1557 - Zuffall
1566 - Zufall
1570 - Thooffal
1590 - Zuefall
1717 - Zufal
Currently - Zufall

The word "Zu-" means the English "to".  Many English words are from old German words in the dialects of the middle age (950-1200).  So from there it comes that "Tofall" later turned to "Zufall" when the old dialects weren't written anymore.  The spelling had to be equal all over Germany and this was forced by law about 1790 (It still varied until about 1820).  Before that, everyone who could write wrote as he heard the spoken word.  This also explains why we have various early spellings of Zufall here in the United States.

Information provided by our distant cousin in Germany, Dr. Achim Haehnert