Surname Hoeksema - Meaning and Origin
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Hoeksema: What does the surname Hoeksema mean?
The last name Hoeksema is of Dutch origin, and is derived from the Dutch words hoeke meaning 'corner' and Seme meaning 'hay'. The name is believed to be a habitational name suggesting someone from one of the many places named Hoeksema. In old Dutch, hoeke and seme together were used to mean 'field corner'.
It is possible that the original bearers of the name lived at a place where there was a corner field or the farmland of a lord of the manor. In its earliest known usage, the surname was found in Old Dutch records as Hoochseme and Holekseme.
Over time, Hoeksema has been found in a variety of spellings, giving the name various national varieties such as Hoeksema, Hoekemsema, Hoeksma, Hokema, Hugsema, Huksma, Hukssema, and Huksema in The Netherlands, as well as the recognized variations Hoeksema and Huksma in the United States and Canada.
The surname Hoeksema is now primarily found in The Netherlands, although it has spread to many other regions throughout the world. This includes large numbers of families bearing the name in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisHoeksema: Where does the name Hoeksema come from?
The last name Hoeksema is very common in Northern Europe, especially in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Hoeksema is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from the Dutch word ‘hoek’ which means corner or angle. The original bearer of the name might have been someone who lived near a corner or an angle, or someone who established a corner or corner business.
In the Netherlands, there are currently over 9,000 individuals bearing variations of this name, including Hoeksema, Hoekzema and Hoeksma. This places it among the 160 most commonly occurring surnames in the Dutch population.
In Germany, there are approximately 1,000 individuals bearing Hoeksema as their last name. The highest concentration of family members with this surname reside in the state of Lower Saxony, where it ranks 37th of all surnames.
In Denmark, a mere 2,000 individuals bear the name Hoeksema, making it far less common than in the Netherlands and Germany. In this country, it occupies the 154th position in terms of name popularity.
Outside of its countries of origin, Hoeksema is a fairly uncommon name. It is more commonly seen amongst the North and West European diaspora, particularly in the United States, Canada and Australia. Cherry trees with the name Hoeksema have been reported in California and New Mexico.
In summary, the last name Hoeksema is most common in Northern Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, but it is also seen amongst the North and West European diaspora, in the USA, Canada and Australia.
Variations of the surname Hoeksema
Pronounced as HOOK-suh-muh, the Hoeksema surname is derived from a Dutch and Frisian toponymic term that can be translated as denoting a person from a bend in the river. This specific surname is also able to be expressed in many variant spellings, including Hoeksma, Hoexma, Houksema, Hoexmea, and Hooksma.
The Hoeksema surname has been present in Europe since the early 12th century, and many of its variant spellings have been observed in highly populated areas of the Netherlands, such as in the provinces of Zuid-Holland, Groningen, and Overijsel.
The Hoeksema surname is an especially common ethnonym in Dutch and Frisian culture and can be found in old records dating back to at least 1530. The surname has even been recorded in Belgian parish and civil records from the 16th century.
Variants of the Hoeksema surname have also been transformed into the patronymic surnames Hoeksema-Boonstra, Hoeksema-Ebbens, and Hoeksema-Doosje. In some instances, Hoeksema appears to be translated identically in Sussex, England with the surname Hooksum.
One could also manifest the Hoeksema surname in many different spellings such as previously listed, or the equally common forms Hoeksenma or Hoeksenmea. Other surnames of Dutch origin that are similar to Hoeksema include Hoeksma,Hookma, Hoexma, Hookama, and Hooksma.
In conclusion, the Hoeksema surname has many different spelling variants and was born from the Dutch and Frisian toponymic term denoting a person from a bend in the river. The earliest record of this surname dates back to the 12th century in Europe, and many of its variant spellings have been observed in the Netherlands, Belgium, and England. Additionally, the surname has been converted into the patronymic surnames Hoeksema-Boonstra, Hoeksema-Ebbens, and Hoeksema-Doosje.
Famous people with the name Hoeksema
- Freerk Hoeksema, Dutch economist
- Wolter Hoeksema, Dutch architect
- Dirk Hoeksema, American professor of philosophy
- Chris Hoeksema, Australian cricketer
- Theo Hoeksema, Dutch illustrator
- Thom Hoeksema, American evangelist
- Geo Hoeksema, Dutch journalist
- Elisabeth Hoeksema, Dutch politician
- Jan Hoeksema, Dutch botanist
- Henry Hoeksema, American sculptor and illustrator