Surname Van Wyck - Meaning and Origin

Van Wyck: What does the surname Van Wyck mean?

The surname Van Wyck has Dutch origins and is derived from the Dutch word 'Wijk', which means 'district' or 'settlement'. The prefix 'Van' in Dutch usually indicates origin or descent. Therefore, Van Wyck can be interpreted as 'from the district' or 'from the settlement'. It suggests that the original bearers of this name were identified by their home district or settlement. Like many last names, it originally served as a kind of address, pointing to where a family lived. The name is common in areas that had strong Dutch influence including the Netherlands and parts of United States like New York. With time, it has become a simple family name, used without reference to its ancient meaning.

Van Wyck: Where does the name Van Wyck come from?

The last name Van Wyck is most common in North America, especially along the East Coast and in Canada. It originated in Holland, where the father of Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant was Willem van Wyck. The last name is derived from the Old Dutch name 'Wycke', which means “ridge” or “herring”. It spread throughout Europe and later to the US during the period of Dutch colonial occupation in the 17th century.

Today, Van Wyck is an established family name in the US and Canada, with many members of the family having achieved success across various fields. There are tens of thousands of Van Wyck families living in Canada and the US. In terms of geography, states such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, and Michigan have the highest numbers of Van Wyck families.

In terms of occupations, many members of the Van Wyck family are doctors, lawyers, engineers, ministers, pilots, and professors. The Van Wyck family also boasts a number of prominent figures, including General George Washington, author Diana Van Wyck, and US Congressman Robert Van Wyck.

There is a Van Wyck genealogical website dedicated to helping individuals of the Van Wyck family trace their ancestors and family relations. The website is managed by a group of volunteers who have access to a database of over 4,500 Van Wyck family members.

Variations of the surname Van Wyck

Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Van Wyck include: Van Wyk, Wyck, Van Wijk, Van Wyke, Van Wycken, Van Wijck, Van Wijcken, Van Wycke, Vandyck and Vandyk.

Van Wyck is a surname of Dutch origin, deriving from the Dutch words ‘vanden’ and ‘wyck’ which translate as ‘in the area of’ and ‘village’, respectively. This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have hailed from a village.

Van Wyck is also used as a given name and is most commonly found in Dutch-speaking regions such as The Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, and the United States.

The earliest known references to the surname date back to the 13th century, in documents which refer to the Dutch nobleman Peter van Wyk.

Variations of the Van Wyck surname are created when the spelling of the first name is altered by mistakes, such as transposing of letter or inserting or omitting vowels from the spelling. Within the Netherlands, there are many variants of the Van Wyck surname, most of which are specific to a particular region.

Other variations of the surname Van Wyck exist in German and Afrikaans speaking areas, including Van Wyk, Vandyk, and Van Wijk.

In the United States, the spelling of the surname Van Wyck has become slightly anglicised and it is commonly seen as Van Wyke.

Regardless of the variant, those bearing the Van Wyck surname originate from the same Dutch lineage.

Famous people with the name Van Wyck

• Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence (18th-century New York politician)
• Hetty Van Wyck (19th-century entrepreneur)
• Edmund Van Wyck (19th-century politician)
• Marie van Wyck (20th-century painter)
• Georgette Van Wyck (20th-century author)
• Alan Van Wyck (21st-century musician)
• Grant Van Wyck (21st-century author)
• Andrew Van Wyck (21st-century entrepreneur)
• Vaughan Van Wyck (21st-century media executive)
• Meghan Van Wyck (21st-century television presenter)

Other surnames

van Wylick