Surname ter Horst - Meaning and Origin
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ter Horst: What does the surname ter Horst mean?
The last name Ter Horst is a Dutch name derived from the words 'ter' which means 'at' or 'on' and the words 'horst', which translates to 'wooded hill'. Historically, family names are derived from places of origin, such as a region, city, or town. So, the last name Ter Horst could be interpreted as meaning someone from a place named 'Horst'.
Horst is a very common Dutch place name and is derived from the Dutch word 'horst'–a building site which consists of a natural elevation surrounded by wetlands in the low-lying areas. This type of terrain can be found in many parts of Northern and Western Europe. It is also used to mean a raised wooded area found near rivers and creeks.
The term 'Ter Horst' indicates that the family likely originates from a region where a Horst is found. It is likely that the family is of Dutch descent and could have origins dating back centuries. Over the years, the family has probably relocated to other parts of the world.
Today, the most common Ter Horst surname is found in The Netherlands, but is also present in Australia, Canada, United States, South America, and many other countries as well. It is also possible that this name is being spelled in a slightly different form, such as Thé, Tor, Horstman, or de Horst.
Order DNA origin analysister Horst: Where does the name ter Horst come from?
The last name Ter Horst is most commonly found among Dutch-speaking populations in the Netherlands and the Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium. It is also found in countries where people of Dutch ancestry have emigrated, especially in South Africa, Indonesia, and the United States.
The surname Ter Horst is derived from the Dutch for "at the wood" or "near the wood," and is likely to have originally been an occupational name for a woodsman. Today, it typically refers to a family of Dutch descent with a protruding nose, a family who have owned a brewery or vineyard for generations, or families in higher economic backgrounds.
The most common contemporary spellings of Ter Horst are Ter Horst, te Horst, T'Horst and Thoorst. It is quite rare in The Netherlands with merely 304 people having the name across the whole country according to available records. The spelling of Ter Horst is used most commonly in South Africa (183 recorded people) and the United States (204 recorded people).
Although the popularity of the Ter Horst name has declined in recent decades, it is still a widely-recognized Dutch surname. People of this surname can be found in countries around the world today and continue to be proud of their Dutch heritage.
Variations of the surname ter Horst
The surname Ter Horst is a surname of toponymic origin, derived from the Dutch noun ‘de Horst’, meaning ‘haven, oasis or clearing in the woods’. Primarily found in The Netherlands and Germany, the spellings and variants of Ter Horst are numerous, with some variant surnames also having different spellings in the Netherlands versus Germany. Variations of this surname are typically either prefixed with ‘Van Der’, or constructed as a compound surname to represent the individual's place of origin. In other cases, Dutch and German immigrants may have changed their surnames (or had their corresponding surnames changed by officials) when moving to a new country, such as the United States.
In The Netherlands, common variants and spellings of Ter Horst include: Van der Horst, Veldhorst, Verbrugh, Verbrugge, Van Horst, Zaalberg, Van den Horst, Zomers, Zekveld, Tersmette, Engbers, Bijsterbosch, Hekhuis, and Ek. Common German variants and spellings include: Van Der Horst, Vonderhorst, Vonder Horsten, Von Horsten, Von Der Horst, Von Dorsten, and Dorsten.
In the United States, the surname has typically been spelled either Ter Horst or Van der Horst, though some variations have also become more common in English-speaking countries. These include: Terhort, Thorson, Thorstensen, Thorsten, Thorstenson, North, Hurst and Hurston.
Overall, all of these surnames share the same origin, though it is important to differentiate the Dutch and German spellings due to the geographical variation of this surname.
Famous people with the name ter Horst
- Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert: Member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, previously Minister of Defence and Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations.
- Jantine Hennis-Plasschaert: Sibling of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, banker.
- Jan Peter Balkenende: Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
- Pieter ter Horst: Dutch ceramicist.
- Peter ter Horst: Dutch historian and philosopher.
- Karel ter Horst: Dutch conductor and composer.
- René ter Horst: Dutch politician, member of the Labour Party.
- Meindert ter Horst: Dutch author.
- Géza ter Horst: Dutch film director and actor.
- Han ter Horst: Dutch cricketer.
- Erik ter Horst: Dutch art historian and critic.
- Janny ter Horst: Dutch television personality and journalist.
- Marjolein ter Horst: Former Dutch politician for the Christian Democratic Appeal.
- Isabelle Ter Horst: Dutch television presenter.
- Tim ter Horst: Dutch drummer, producer, and songwriter.
- Mathieu ter Horst: Dutch judoka.
- Kirsten ter Horst: Dutch model.
- Sascha ter Horst: Dutch visual artist, musician, and producer.
- Arie ter Horst: Dutch theater director, theater producer, and television and film actor.
- Hendrik ter Horst: Dutch footballer.