Surname Snijder - Meaning and Origin

Snijder: What does the surname Snijder mean?

The last name Snijder is of Dutch origin, and it translates literally as "Cutter". This surname is thought to have originally referred to people who held the occupation of cutter, likely a reference to those who worked in tailoring, and eventually became passed on as a family name.

Originally, Snijder likely referred to tailors as a profession, as the Dutch were known for their skills in this area. Tailors cut cloth and other fabrics, customizing them according to the needs of the customer. Sometimes even a snijder (cutter) would create a pattern and then cut the pieces to be sewn together to create a garment.

Snijder may also be derived from snieders, a Dutch description of an Anglo-Saxon profession consisting of individuals who constructed and maintained riverbanks. This job involved skills such as cutting and dredging, which is why the surname Snijder became associated with these occupations.

While the exact origin of the Snijder surname is unknown, the name itself is quite common in The Netherlands, and it is now spreading throughout the world. The surname is also common in other Dutch-speaking countries, such as Belgium and Suriname, and is also present in German-speaking countries, such as Germany and Austria.

To sum up, the last name Snijder is of Dutch origin and refers to individuals who had occupations involving cutting and tailoring. It may have also referred to those who lived near rivers and were responsible for maintaining them, as well as skills such as dredging. Today, this surname is present in The Netherlands, as well as other Dutch-speaking and German-speaking countries.

Snijder: Where does the name Snijder come from?

The last name Snijder (also spelled Sneijder) is of Dutch origin and is most commonly found in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is also found in other Dutch-speaking countries such as Suriname and South Africa which have a large population of people who can trace their ancestry back to the Netherlands.

The Dutch surname Snijder is one of the most common in the Netherlands, with over 54 thousand people claiming the name. In Belgian Flanders, however, the name is not as common, with less than two thousand people having the name. In the Dutch city of Sneek, the name is the third most common, making up over 3% of the population.

In the United States, the surname is much less common with fewer than one thousand people having the name, though it is slowly becoming more popular throughout the country. In 2020, Snijder ranked 6,265th in popularity on the Social Security Administration list of most popular surnames in the US.

Though the name is much less common in other countries, people with the surname can be found in parts of Canada, Australia, Mexico, and the Caribbean among other locations. The last name is derived from the Dutch word "snijden," meaning to cut or slice, and it is likely to have been an occupational name given to people who worked as butchers, cutters, or tailors.

Variations of the surname Snijder

The surname Snijder is an occupational Dutch surname derived from the word ‘snijder,’ meaning cutter or tailor, and is quite common in the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking parts of the world. It can also be found in other parts of Europe, particularly in Anglo-Saxon countries, where it is usually spelled as Schneider or Snyder. The variant spelling Sneijder is also used in the Netherlands.

Other variants of the surname Snijder include Schnitter, Schneijder, Schnijder, Snoijder, Sneijders, Snijders, and Sneiders. These alternative spellings are believed to come from dialectal variants of the word ‘snijder,’ such as “schneider” in Germany, “snijder” in Belgium, and “snider” in Austria.

Related surnames include Snyders, Sniders, Sneiders, Schneider, Schneiders, and Snyers. These related surnames have similar etymological origins and have tended to take a slightly different form in English-speaking countries.

In some cases, the surname Snijder can be found with the addition of a noble prefix such as ‘van’ or ‘de’, creating surnames such as Van Snijder, De Snijder, and Van Der Snijder. These translations of the original Dutch surname Snijder usually indicate ownership of a business or trade.

In some cases, the surname Snijder may have morphed into more nickname-like surnames such as “Snijderman” or “Snijers.” These are less common, however, and often tend to be modernized versions of the original name, designed to make it more easily pronounceable by non-Dutch speakers.

Famous people with the name Snijder

• Wesley Snijder: Dutch professional footballer who currently plays for Al-Gharafa Sports Club of Qatar.
• Felicia Snijder: Dutch former model and actress.
• Margaret Snijder: Dutch long-distance runner and victor of the 1999 Cross-country European Championships.
• Fred Snijder: Dutch Olympic equestrian who competed in the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics.
• Maja Snijder-Pelgrim: Dutch television presenter and actress, commonly known as Maja Papaya.
• Maarten Snijder: Dutch sailor who competed in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Lodewijk Snijder: Dutch Royal Navy officer in service from 1932 to 1955.
• Pieter Cilliers Snijder: South African former rugby union player who played for national side in 1924 and 1925.
• Jetty Snijder: Dutch visual artist known for her installations and sculptures.
• Wilfred Snijder: Dutch singer and song writer who won a 2008 Edison Award.
• Adriaan Snijder: Dutch professional football referee, active between 1990 and 2013.
• Thijs Snijder: Dutch cyclist who won multiple races in the 1990s.
• Sophie Snijder: Dutch actress, known for her roles in films such as Pilgrims (2015) and Paulien and the Book of Ra (2015).

Other surnames

Snijders