Surname VanderGeer - Meaning and Origin
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VanderGeer: What does the surname VanderGeer mean?
The surname VanderGeer is of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch phrase “Van der Geer.” Taken literally, the phrase means “from the grain” or “from the granary,” referring to a person who lived near a grain storage facility or granary in the past. The phrase was a more polite way of referring to a person from a low social standing, who worked with grains and other agricultural products, and the VanderGeer family likely had their roots in such a profession.
Over the centuries, the name has branched out to many locations around the world. In the Dutch and French contexts, VanderGeer is mostly associated with people related to or descended from Dutch and French nobility, or those of a higher social class. In the US, however, the name is more likely associated with people descended from Dutch and Belgian immigrants, who brought the name with them when migrating in the 19th century.
Today, the name VanderGeer is most commonly heard in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and the United States. It carries with it a sense of Dutch and Belgian history, and is also often seen in its more anglicized version, Van der Geer. It is a reminder of a time when people did whatever they could to make a living, and often had to work with what was available to them. Despite the original peasant-like history, VanderGeer has come to represent a strong work ethic and a clearly defined sense of heritage over more than four centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisVanderGeer: Where does the name VanderGeer come from?
The surname VanderGeer is most commonly found in the Netherlands. Historically, VanderGeer is a Dutch toponymic surname, derived from the name of a place, although it is sometimes found in Belgium and Germany. The name is found most often in the provinces of Groningen, North Holland, and Utrecht in the northern part of the country.
In the Netherlands in the 21st century, there were an estimated 81,000 people with the last name VanderGeer. The name is the 866th most common surname in the country overall and was the 39th most common name in the province of Groningen in 2007.
As of 2017, the name is the 67th most common surname in North Holland province, the 36th-most common name in Utrecht province, and the 32nd-most popular name in Flevoland province. Around 8.3 percent of Dutch people with the surname live in Flevoland, while 5.8 percent live in Utrecht and 5.7 percent live in North Holland.
In addition to the Netherlands, there are also a significant number of people with the name VanderGeer living in Belgium. In Belgium, the name is the 176th most common surname. The name can also be found in small numbers in other countries across Europe, such as Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Italy. There are also a number of VanderGeers living in the United States.
Variations of the surname VanderGeer
VanderGeer is a Dutch patronymic surname meaning “from the geer” and originating from Gelderland, a province of the Netherlands. Common variants include Van der Geer, van Geer, van Geeren, Van Geers, van der Geers, Vander Geer, der Geer, vander Geer, and VanderGeeren.
The common spelling Van der Geer, meaning “from the geer”, can also be interpreted as Van de Geer, Van den Geer, Van der Gheer, or Van de Geerden. Other variants like van Rijn der Geer, der Geer van Bommel, van der Gheerden, van der Geerden, van Geer(d)en, and van Geeren are derived from names derived from other geographic locations within the Netherlands.
Surname variations for VanderGeer include Vander Gee, Gee, Geer, Geere, Geerden, Geers, Giere, Gieren, Gierman, Giermans, Giers, Gijs, Gijsen, Giessen, Graat, Graatsma, Greess, Greijmans, Greijmansen, Greimers, Grimm, Grin, Grinssen, Groot, Grooten, Haegmans, Hoogers, Kluin, Leenders, Leroux, van den Berg, van den Heuvel, van den Meeren, van der Lel, van der Linde, van der Veen, van Geer, van Gijn, van Greens, van Greijmerink, van Greppel, van Rijn, van Rijnders, van Straaten, VanderGees, Vander Heerden, Vangheluwe, Vermeulen, Verwaal, Vingeerden, and Vlug.
Thus, although the core form of VanderGeer is Dutch, its variants and variations have subsequently spread across the globe, giving people many different ways to trace their ancestry.
Famous people with the name VanderGeer
- Amber VanDerGeer: Amber was a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist in the Montreal-based band Think About Life.
- Dillon VanDerGeer: Dillon is a professional snowboarder and YouTube personality from Tahoe, California.
- Art VanDerGeer: Art was an illustrator and cartoonist who worked on several comic series for Dell Publications from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s.
- Leona VanDerGeer: Leona is an actor and stunt performer, best known for her work in the films Rabbit Fall and Shock to the System.
- Kenneth VanDerGeer: Kenneth was a successful business executive and philanthropist. He was the former head of the Conservation Fund of Zimbabwe, an environmental advocacy organization.
- Nichole VanDerGeer: Nichole is a singer and lyricist, best known for her work with the alt-rock band The Starseeds.
- Lyle VanDerGeer: Lyle is a professional golfer who won several championships during his career.
- Bevan VanDerGeer: Bevan is a former celebrity chef and reality television star.
- Liam VanDerGeer: Liam is a motivational speaker and self-help author, best known for his book The Power of Focus.
- Eran VanDerGeer: Eran is a Dutch composer, pianist, and musicologist. He is widely known for his work in the contemporary classical music genre.