Surname Ten Voorde - Meaning and Origin

Ten Voorde: What does the surname Ten Voorde mean?

Ten Voorde is a Dutch surname. It can be broken down into two parts: 'Ten' which means 'at' or 'in'; and 'Voorde' which refers to a ford, a shallow part in a river or stream where it can be crossed by wading. Therefore, the surname 'Ten Voorde' roughly translates to 'at the ford' or 'in the ford'. This indicates that the family's origin might have been near a significant river crossing - an important feature in the past for trade, travel, and settlement. This naming tradition, based on a family's geographic location, was common in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. Looking at the distribution of this surname now, it is clear that it is most common in the eastern parts of the Netherlands. Thus, it is an example of a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.

Ten Voorde: Where does the name Ten Voorde come from?

The surname Ten Voorde is of Dutch origin. It's a toponymic surname, meaning it's derived from a geographical location associated with the person bearing the name. "Ten Voorde" translates to "at the ford", indicating that the person originally bearing the name likely lived near a shallow crossing of a river, a ford. This shows that it originates from a region in the Netherlands with many such geographical features. Toponymic surnames are rather common in the Netherlands. Today, the surname Ten Voorde is still most common in the Netherlands, particularly in areas with a high density of river crossings or in regions with historic prevalence of the name. People with this family name can be found in various locations around the country, both urban and rural. Like many Dutch surnames, it can also be found among the Dutch diaspora, including in nations like the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, it remains uncommon compared to many other Dutch-origin surnames.

Variations of the surname Ten Voorde

The surname Ten Voorde is of Dutch origin. Given the intricacies of language, its spelling could vary based on phonetic interpretations, regional accents, or typing mistakes.

While no direct variants of this exact surname seem prominent, it can be split into two parts: “Ten” and “Voorde.” Both parts are common in Dutch surnames and can be combined in different ways or appear in different forms, creating similar surnames, like: Voorde, Van der Voorde, Ver Voorde, Ter Voorde, Ten Voordele, Ten Voorden, or Van Voorde.

The first part, "Ten," is a Dutch preposition often used in surnames and denotes "at" or "in". The second part, "Voorde," could either represent a ford (a shallow place in a river or stream allowing one to walk or drive across) or an advantage, depending upon the context.

There might also be versions of this surname that replace the "V" with a "W", due to the close pronunciation of these two letters in some parts of the Netherlands, such as Ten Woorden, Ten Vorde, or Van de Woorden. However, these would still remain as speculations unless backed by verifiably historic or population records.

Famous people with the name Ten Voorde

• Job ten Voorde: A professional racing driver from the Netherlands, born in 1997. He is well-known in the motorsports world, particularly in the Porsche Supercup.
• Larry ten Voorde: An accomplished Dutch racing driver, who has made a name for himself in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
• Henk Ten Voorde: A journalist, who is best known in the Netherlands for his sports reporting, particularly his coverage of football.
• Roy ten Voorde: A singer and songwriter from the Netherlands. His music, often characterized by its rock and soul influences, has gained him recognition and success in his home country.

Other surnames

Ten Voort