Surname van - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
van: What does the surname van mean?
The last name van (also sometimes spelled von or v'an) is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from the Dutch and Germanic personal name "van,” which translates as "of." The "van" in the surname could refer to a location, tribal name, or a nickname given to a person, and it is usually the most distinguishing feature of the surname.
Surnames beginning with “van” were traditionally found in the northern half of Europe, with the Low Countries being the most predominant area. The name gained popularity as a way for people to separate themselves from the common folk and be identified as members of the upper class.
Today, van is commonly used on its own or as part of a double-barreled name, where two surnames are combined into one (such as van den Berg or van der Sar). In some cases, the van part of the name may have been dropped in order to simplify its use, resulting in names such as Berg or Sar.
Van is also widely used as a prefix in names like Van Damme or Van Dyke. In some cases, these are simplified versions of names such as Van de Damme or Van de Dyke, where the "de" part of the name has been dropped.
In summary, the last name van is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from the Dutch and Germanic personal name van, meaning "of." Originally used as a way for the upper class to distinguish themselves from the lower class, the van part of a name today is often used as either a prefix or dropped entirely.
Order DNA origin analysisvan: Where does the name van come from?
The last name Van is a relatively common name today, with people bearing this name living in many countries, particularly across Europe and the United States. It is one of the most common surnames in the Netherlands, and is most commonly associated with Dutch heritage. The name is also frequently found in France, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden. It is still an especially popular last name in North America, as many Dutch settlers first arrived in Canada and the United States centuries ago.
The origin of the Van surname is likely from the Dutch preposition 'van' meaning "of," although in some cases it can also be an abbreviation of various Dutch first names. First used as a family name in the late Middle Ages, it was originally used to describe someone's place of origin.
In the U.S., those bearing the Van surname are found most prominently in California, Texas, New York, and Illinois, although Van families are also found in a range of other states. Surnames of Dutch origin have been particularly popular in the mid-Atlantic region. Many famous people have the Van last name, including actor Willem Dafoe, musician Van Morrison, and former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The name is a positive reflection of the long-standing Dutch presence in North America, and proudly continues to be held by many today.
Variations of the surname van
Van is a Dutch and German preposition that means "of, from, by, in, with, or about" and is often used as the beginning of Dutch and German surnames. Variants, spellings and surnames of Van include Van de Zande, Van Asselt, Van Allen, Van Bezooijen, Van Boven, Van den Bogaert, Van de Caar, Van den Daele, Van Dent, Van de Velde, Van Dijk, Van de Vorst, Van Driel, Van Duijn, Van Eck, Van Eijk, Van Essen, Van Gogh, Van Halen, Van Haren, Van Hoek, Van Huffel, Van Hulst, Van Kaam, Van Kerckhoff, Van Kooten, Van Lier, Van Loon, Van Meer, Van Mill, Van Neer, Van Noord, Van Oosten, Van Ostade, Van Oudenaarden, Van Putten, Van Rooten, Van Rossum, Van Ryn, Van Scherpenhuyze, Van Sluis, Van Soest, Van Splunteren, Van Straaten, Van Tieghem, Van Tilburg, Van Veen, Van Vliet, Van Wijngaarden, Van Woerkom, Van der Neut, Van den Berg, Van der Veer, Van der Vlugt, Vandenbrink, Vandeputte, Vanderheyden, Vandevoorde, Vang, Veenstra, Vermeulen, Visser, Voorneman, Van As, Van Beek, and Van Eken.
The surnames also often take on regional variations in spelling, such as Van Dam in the Netherlands and Van Damme in Belgium. In the United States, the Dutch Van was sometimes Americanized to "Von," and other surnames such as "Von Bracken" and "Von Kampen" emerged. Additionally, the Dutch prefix "Van" is often mistaken for or combined with the Anglo-Saxon "Fitz," resulting in surnames such as "VonFitz" and "VanFitz."
Famous people with the name van
- Richard Van Dyke: American actor, comedian, writer, and composer
- Erwin van Ligten: Dutch long-distance runner
- Ted Van Dyke: American actor
- Sam Van Aken: American interdisciplinary artist
- Daphne Van Den Boom: Dutch singer and songwriter
- Jeroen Van Aken: Dutch bicycle racer
- Geert van Kesteren: Dutch painter
- Antoon Van Hooff: Dutch physician
- Annelies Van Herck: Belgian sprint canoeist
- Herre Van Oordt: Dutch football player and manager
- Ferdi Van Den Eijnden: Dutch rower
- Van Morrison: Irish singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Tina Van Cuyk: American singer and songwriter
- Van Dyke Parks: American songwriter, arranger, producer, and composer
- Dylan Van Bergen: Dutch footballer
- Natasja Van Gestel: Dutch racing cyclist
- Rik Van Cauwelaert: Belgian racing cyclist
- Hennie van Deijne: Dutch cyclist
- Willy Van de Kerkhof: Dutch footballer
- Jef Van Riel: Belgian cyclist