Surname Duigen - Meaning and Origin

Duigen: What does the surname Duigen mean?

The last name Duigen is thought to be a Dutch name of an old German origin. It is believed to come from the old German name "Tudgan", which means "to rule" or "people in power". The name has been found in records of the 13th century in the Netherlands and has since spread around the world to places including the United States, Canada, and South Africa.

The name Duigen is often a personal name given to a person of authority in the area or a title of sorts. It could also act as a recognizable surname that people with the same prefix would recognize as a relative. Relatives of the same name were often looked at (or to) for strength or leadership in tough times and important decisions.

Duigen could also be a nickname for someone with the surname De Vries which could mean "the southern man", a term of endearment as this part of the Dutch population was typically viewed as warm and inviting.

In terms of today, Duigen is a proud and symbolic name for a person. It is said to lend a lot of strength and character to those who bear it. It can instill a sense of responsibility, respect, and pride in the ability to lead, hold authority, and serve as a source of comfort and security to those around them.

Duigen: Where does the name Duigen come from?

The surname Duigen is a common Dutch surname currently found mostly in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the surrounding Low Countries. It is thought to be derived from the Old Dutch description of a 'duiker' meaning 'a diver', which may have been an occupational name for someone who earned a living retrieving objects from rivers and lakes.

Duigen can also be found further afield in areas of historical Dutch settlement such as New Zealand, South Africa, and Indonesia. In the United States, Allmen, Allman, Dolman, Dullen, and Duigen are all possible variants of the same name which have been Americanized over the generations.

The name Duigen has been found amongst Dutch immigrants to North America dating back to the 1600s, when a German soldier named Thomas Duyckinck arrived in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan). The Dutch spelling of Duyckinck was modified to Duigen over the generations, and bearers of the name eventually settled in various parts of the United States, particularly the Midwest and East Coast.

The surname Duigen is still quite common today in Dutch-speaking areas and within Dutch-descended communities. As of 2020, the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics estimates that Duigen is the 26th most common surname in the Netherlands, with approximately 20,000 people bearing the surname.

Variations of the surname Duigen

The surname Duigen has various spellings and variants, as well as associated surnames of the same origin.

The common variants and spellings of Duigen include Duijgen, Duijgenen, Duijgens, Duijgers, Duijgersen, Duiijgen, Duygen, Duygenen, Duygens, Duyghens, Duyghs, and Duygsen.

Duigen is likely derived from the Middle Dutch word “dui” which means water. The name suggests those from this area were once near a body of water or worked in or with water (ie. fishermen, sailors, etc.).

Associate surnames include Duike, Duine, Duin, Duinst, Dutgens, Dyck, Diepen, Diepstra, Dieperink, Dyk, Dykema, and Dykens.

A few other spellings of the title refer to different meanings and origins. For example, Duijvetter originates from Dutch stock raising terms, and Duijbes originates from the Dutch word “deugd” which has the meaning “virtue.”

In Dutch records dating as early as the 12th century, many of these surnames were noted to be found in the north-central and east-central regions of the Netherlands.

Today, the surname Duigen is most popular in the Netherlands, and its variants and spelling can be found around the world in countries of Dutch origin, including Belgium, the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia.

Famous people with the name Duigen

• Pierre-Louis Duigen: Belgian historian, specializing in African and Congolese history, and a former professor of the Université Libre de Bruxelles.
• Cedric Duigen: American actor and former adult film performer.
• Shawn Duigen: Swiss cross country skier, member of the Swiss national Ski team.
• Edouard Duigen: French chemist, notable for his work on organic sulfur compounds.
• Matt Duigen: English footballer playing for Ryman Premier League team Dulwich Hamlet.
• Soots Duigen: Former US army colonel in the American Revolution and a member of the founding family of Jackson Township, Ohio.
• Francois Duigen: French museologist, ethnographer and professor of anthropology at the Université de Lille.
• Liesbeth Duigen: Dutch author of novels, short stories and poetry.
• Bernhard Duigen: Austrian art collector whose massive collection of Surrealist art was donated to the Museum of Modern Art in Vienna.
• Jan Duigen: Dutch sculptor and visual artist especially known for his unusual approach to creating art with complex pieces of plywood.
• Hermann Duigen: German Olympic film-maker.
• Jacoba Duigen: Dutch painter and printmaker whose works can be found in the Goupil & Cie collection at the Rijksmuseum.
• Joseph Duigen: Swiss-American architect who designed multiple St. Louis, Missouri, landmarks, most notably the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

Other surnames

Duigenan