Surname Egberts - Meaning and Origin

Egberts: What does the surname Egberts mean?

The last name Egberts is a Dutch patronymic surname, meaning "son of Egbert." The Egbert is a name derived from the original Germanic name "Eggehard," which consists of two elements "eg, meaning edge or point," and "hard, meaning brave or hardy." It was common among many Germanic people, and was later brought to England during the time of the Norman conquest.

The Egberts surname was popular in the northern part of the Netherlands, particularly North Holland in the late Middle Ages. It was also common in Friesland and in the province of Drenthe. Eventually, the Egberts surname spread to other parts of Europe, including Germany, Belgium, France, and the Scandinavian countries.

In Dutch, Egberts surnames were often preceded by the prefix Van, meaning "from" or "of." This prefix could indicate the person's place of origin, such as Van Egbertsen van Friesland, meaning "from Egbertsen of Friesland." The Egberts surname is still found today in the Netherlands, and is also found in other parts of the world due to emigration from the Netherlands in the 19th and 20th centuries. Egberts is currently the 81st most common surname in the Netherlands.

Egberts: Where does the name Egberts come from?

The last name Egberts is most common today in the Netherlands, where it originated. According to a 2020 genealogy survey, it is the 517th most common last name in the Netherlands. Beyond the Netherlands, the name is also found in smaller numbers in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

In the United States, Egberts is most frequently found in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The highest concentration of the name can be found in the city of Philadelphia, with the second-highest concentration in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, located in the Delaware Valley.

Given its Dutch roots, it is unsurprising that Egberts is most often found in states with large Dutch-American populations, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Some sources attribute the Egberts name to the town of Egbert near Haarlem, a town in the municipality of Alkmaar in the Netherlands, though this is unconfirmed.

As with so many immigrants who settled in the United States, the name has often been altered and Anglicized over the years. For example, the name Egbert, who is the only Dutch forename derived from the last name Egberts, is not unheard of outside the Netherlands. Other alternations of the name include Agard, Agert, Eckebrecht, Eggebert, and Egter.

Overall, Egberts is most common in the Netherlands, but it can also be found in smaller concentrations in other countries such as the United States. Although its origins are Dutch, it is often Anglicized and used as various alternate spellings.

Variations of the surname Egberts

Egberts is one of the oldest surnames in Europe, having been used by many generations of families since the Middle Ages. It can sometimes be spelled as "Egbert" or "Ebberts". The name has many variants and surnames of the same origin. These include Egbertsson, Ebers, Egbertsen, Egbertz, Ebrecht, Ebert, Ebner, Ebersol, Egbartsen, Ebbesen, Eibertsen, Egbertzoon, Ebertz, Elfers, and Eberson.

The origin of the Egberts surname is mostly associated with Germany, where it is believed to have been derived from the given name "Egbert". The original meaning of the name is “bright” or “intelligent”. It is derived from the Germanic name, Ebergard, which was composed of two elements: 'eg', which means “point” or “edge”, and 'beraht', which means “bright” or “intelligent”.

The surname has been common among different groups in Europe, while some have adopted the Anglicized versions, such as "Ebberts" and "Egbert". The surname has branched off into multiple spellings, such as Ebner, Egbertz, and Eberson, and further rate-splitting among families to other spellings such as Eiberer, Egbertsson, Elfers, and Ebersol.

By tracing their family heritage, some people have been able to confirm that they carry on the original surname, Egberts, and can be descendants of Egbert of Wessex, a king in England during the ninth century. Some branches of the family are believed to have moved to countries such as Germany, Holland, and Belgium.

In the Netherlands, the Egberts name is associated with various families from the town of Egberts, in the province of Overijssel. The name is also linked with the Dutch municipality of Egmond and Egmond aan de Hoef, where the Egberts name is still prominent today.

Today, the Egberts surname is used mainly in Holland, Germany, and Belgium, so it is common to find individuals living in other areas of the world with a variation of the Egberts name. The name is still used by many different families in the United States, Canada, and other countries.

Famous people with the name Egberts

• Jan Egberts: Professional road cyclist from the Netherlands
• Tjalling Egberts: Former CEO of Royal Grolsch
• Lucius Egberts: Dutch international footballer
• John Egberts: American artist and photographer
• Henrike Egberts: German art historian
• Paul Egberts: Australian former long-distance runner
• Mitch Egberts: American professional mixed martial artist
• Ben Egberts: Dutch entrepreneur
• Kari Egberts: Canadian synchronized swimmer
• Arnold Egberts: Dutch author and journalist

Other surnames

EgbersEgbert