Surname Vanables - Meaning and Origin

Vanables: What does the surname Vanables mean?

The origin and meaning of the last name Vanables is uncertain. It is sometimes assumed that the name derives from a place name, particularly in France or Holland where similar sounding placenames exist. However, there is no certain origin.

In Scotland, the surname may originate from the town of Banff in Aberdeenshire meaning “farm of the ban” in Gaelic. It may even be associated with an old Dutch surname Vanbelle, meaning “from the beautiful.”

In England, the Vanables surname may be an early variant of Vavasour. This surname is of Norman origin meaning 'the holder of a Vavasour'. Vavasour was a term used in the feudal era to describe a landowner who was below a Baron in rank.

Another possible origin of the surname Vanables is from the French Van Boulle, meaning “from the boule” or “from the counsel”, which was a medieval court.

The Vanables surname is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia and the United States, as well as other countries with large emigrant communities. The surname has been known to have numerous spellings and variations such as Van Abel, Van Abels, Van Apels and VanAble.

Overall, the probable origin and meaning of the last name Vanables is still a mystery, and it could potentially have different origins in different countries.

Vanables: Where does the name Vanables come from?

The last name Vanables is of English origin and is recorded in several historical accounts and documents of the Middle Ages. Though it is a rare surname, there are quite a few people today who carry the name. According to the United States Census Bureau's records, the most prevalent geographical distribution of the Vanables name occurs in the United States. The highest concentration is found in the South with Virginia leading the states in frequency. Other states where the name is prevalent include Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. The frequency of occurrence then decreases as you move northwest across the country with Oklahoma, Missouri, Ohio, Washington, and California also having notable concentrations. Interestingly, Vanables is relatively common in the Netherlands as well. The name is also dispersed across other countries in the world, including Canada, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, India, and Australia.

Variations of the surname Vanables

The surname Vanables is believed to have originated from the Dutch or Saxon family Van Aelst, which refers to Aelst, a town in the East Flanders province of Belgium. The Van Aelst family, also known as Von Aelst, first appeared in England and Scotland in the 13th century and adopted the name Vanables in the 1600s.

The Vannables spelling is the most common variant of the name, and can be found as an Americanisation of the surname when it first began being used in America in the late 1700s. It might have been spelt in this way to differentiate it from other variations of the surname, as the most common spelling of Van Aelst is Vannals.

The surname can also be found as Vanabeas, Vanabels, Vannabes, Vanabils, Vanabills, Variables, Vanabels, Vanibeis, Vanibles, and Vanbells. These latter spellings are rarer variations of the surname found primarily in America.

The surname may also be anglicised to the Scottish surname Vanabulis, which is found primarily in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Finally, there are several variants of the surname that are found predominantly in Europe, including Van Aelst, Vanayuls, Vanabal, Vanablee, Vanabre, Vanabl, Vanable, Vanablock, Vanabelle, and Vanavile. These spellings are likely derived from the original Van Aelst spelling, and may have been adopted out of necessity and phonetic spelling conventions.

In summary, the surname Vanables can take many different spellings, and can be anglicised or anglicised into several surnames. The spellings and surnames vary in the level of prevalence, and are likely to be specific to the region where they are used.

Famous people with the name Vanables

• Tom Vanable: Former NFL linebacker
• John Vanable: American poet
• JoJo Vanable: Animator and stop motion director
• Amber Vanables: Singer-songwriter
• Henry E. Vanable: Former US Senator
• Phil Vanable: Major League Baseball player
• Dr. Jeffrey Vanable: Orthopedic surgeon
• Roy Vanables: Professional tennis player
• Bob Vanable: American children's book author
• Charlie Vanable: Actor and stuntman

Other surnames

Vanable