Surname Ankersmit - Meaning and Origin
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Ankersmit: What does the surname Ankersmit mean?
The last name Ankersmit is derived from the Dutch term Anker, which means anchor. The suffix "-smit" was added to the name to indicate that the original bearer was involved in the craft of making and repairing anchors - a skill that was held in high regard during the 16th century when the name first appeared.
Ankersmit families are believed to have originated in the Dutch province of Zeeland, where many of them remained settling in the Zoutelande and Schouwen regions. The name is still found mostly in the Dutch provinces of Zuid-Holland and Zeeland.
There are several well-known individuals with the last name Ankersmit. These include Dutch poet and writer Albert Jan Ankersmit, Dutch molecular biologist and professor Rolf Ankersmit, and Dutch theater director, author, and teacher Wouter Ankersmit.
Ankersmit is also a relatively common Dutch surname, appearing at least 5,369 times in the Netherlands in 2020. It is not a very common name outside of the Netherlands, though there are some people with the name living in other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In general, the name Ankersmit carries a rich history and a strong association with craftsmanship and creativity. The name is likely to have been first used to signify someone's profession or craft, though over time it has come to stand for much more than that.
Order DNA origin analysisAnkersmit: Where does the name Ankersmit come from?
The last name Ankersmit is common in a large part of Northern Europe, with significant numbers of people bearing this name found in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium.
In the Netherlands, the Ankersmit name is most commonly found in the provinces of Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe and Flevoland, with the most families bearing this name concentrated in the northern and eastern provinces of the country.
In Germany, Ankersmit is mostly seen in regions close to the Dutch border, such as the city of Hamburg, and parts of the Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia provinces. People with this name can also be found in the border areas with Belgium and Danmark.
In Denmark, the Ankersmit name is mainly concentrated in the cities along the southern coast of Jutland, and in some of the islands such as Falster.
Finally, in Belgium there are also a significant number of families bearing the Ankersmit name, mostly concentrated in the provinces of Flanders near the border with The Netherlands.
Most likely, the Ankersmit name originated in The Netherlands or Germany, as the spelling of the name is quite Dutch-German in the Netherlands and German in Germany. In any case, the Ankersmit name is now a common name in many parts of Europe, especially in the northern countries of The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Belgium.
Variations of the surname Ankersmit
Ankersmit is a Dutch patronymic surname, composed of the given names Anker and Smit, that is derived from the Germanic personal names Anker and Smith. As such, it originated in The Netherlands in the early 17th century when surnames first began to be standardized.
Variant spellings of the surname Ankersmit include Ankerson, Ankersinn, Ankersma, Anckerse, Anckerste, Ankerswe, Ankerswee, and Enkersmet. Other surnames of the same origin include Ankerman, Ankersen, Ankersone, Ankin, Ankon, Anknen, and Ankneer.
Ankersmit can further be found as surnames in other countries, such as Germany, where it may appear as Ankermann, Ankerst, Ankermann, and Antersen; countries of Scandinavia, where it may be found as Ankersson, Ankerstedt, and Ankersdotter; and in England, where it could be spelled as Ankersmith, Ancerson, Aimerson, Angerson, and Anguson.
The many different spellings and surnames of the same origin can make researching one's family tree with the surname Ankersmit a challenging task. However, with close attention to detail and comparison of variant spellings and surnames, related ancestors can often be found.
Famous people with the name Ankersmit
- L.L. Ankersmit: Dutch syndicalist politician and member of the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) in the Netherlands from 1945–1964.
- Frans Ankersmit: Dutch philosopher, historian, professor emeritus in intellectual history at the University of Groningen, author of books including “Historical Representation” and “The Reality of the Historical Past”.
- Gertrudis Ankersmit: Dutch soprano singer, most famous for singing the repertoire of Classical, Romantic, and Baroque composers, including Mozart, Handel, Schubert, Gluck, and others.
- Marieke Ankersmit: Dutch visual artist, specializing in multimedia installation and video.
- Willem Pieter Ankersmit: Dutch curator, art historian and academic, best known for his works on modern art history, particularly in the Dutch context.
- Willem Jan Ankersmit: Dutch journalist, author, and television presenter, the author of numerous publications on Dutch culture and art history.
- Jaco Ankersmit: Dutch footballer, playing for Ajax Amsterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie and part of the Dutch national team.
- Ria Ankersmit: Dutch businessperson, managing director of the Dutch arm of the global financial services company ANZ Banking Group, based in Amsterdam.
- Jesse Ankersmit: Dutch photographer, most famous for his images of iconic Dutch landscapes and scenic locations from around the world.
- Ric Ankersmit: Dutch artist and sculptor, whose paintings and sculptures have been featured in solo exhibitions at major museums around the world, including the Louvre and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.