Surname Westenbrink - Meaning and Origin
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Westenbrink: What does the surname Westenbrink mean?
The last name Westenbrink is a Dutch surname likely derived from the regional names Westerbrink, Westbrink, and Westbroek, all of which are composed of two words. The first word, “Wester,” meaning “western” in Dutch, is the root for the other two names, and is often paired with either “brink,” meaning “ridge” or “bank,” indicating the higher ground juxtaposed against a river; or “broek,” meaning “marshland” or “swamp.”
Thus, the last name Westenbrink, or any of its regional variants, is likely an occupational surname meaning someone who lived near or worked in a western marshland, or near a western ridge of land, such as the Dutch polderlands. It could also be associated with those who lived or worked in the western parts of a larger region or land, such as a country.
Westenbrink is a popular Dutch surname likely stemming from seventeenth-century Dutch settlers, and is still common today. Those who bear the name of Westenbrink may be proud of their Dutch heritage and their strong ties to the land, and may carry with them a strong sense of connection with the rich cultural history of the Netherlands.
Order DNA origin analysisWestenbrink: Where does the name Westenbrink come from?
The surname Westenbrink is mostly common in The Netherlands. The last name originated with a Germanic tribe known as the Langobards and during the Middle Ages, the Westenbrink name was used by a variety of individuals whose ancestors hailed from the region.
The name is most common in Gelderland, the province in the western part of the Netherlands. This is because the region was the ideal location for farming the surrounding land. An additional reason is given that many of the Westenbrink’s who arrived in the Netherlands as immigrants worked in the textile industry, which was more prominent in Gelderland.
Today, the name Westenbrink can be found in other areas of the Netherlands as well, such as North Holland, Utrecht, and Tilburg. While there is a limited presence in other countries across Europe, notably in Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg, the majority of Westenbrink’s currently reside in The Netherlands. The surname Westenbrink is also distributed in North America and has a presence in countries such as Canada and the United States.
Overall, the surname Westenbrink is primarily concentrated in the Netherlands, particularly in Gelderland, but it is still possible to find descendants of the Westenbrink family spread out across the globe.
Variations of the surname Westenbrink
Westenbrink is a Dutch surname that dates back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Dutch phrase ‘Westenbreeck’, which translates to ‘western brook’. Westenbrink can be attributed to the Dutch province of Zeeland where it originated.
The variants of Westenbrink include Wessenberg, Westenberg, Westenbrinker, Westerborck, Westerbroek, and Westerbrok. Spellings of the surname can be Westenbrink, Westenbreeck, Westenbreck, Westenbrig, Wesenbreck etc. Surnames of the same origin include Westenbrugge, Westerburg, Westerbeck and Westergeest.
Westenbrink has also been found in the United States without the second R. This is possibly due to the tendency of some immigrants to abbreviate their surnames in order to facilitate a smoother transition to their new country.
It is interesting to note that some variants of Westenbrink are found in a few US states such as California, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Ohio. This highlights the fact that the Westenbrink family is relatively widespread.
The Westenbrink surname is not extremely common, but it is not rare either. It can be found in several countries in various variants. This indicates that the Westenbrink family is relatively widespread and is likely to continue being so in the future.
Famous people with the name Westenbrink
- Kiki Westenbrink: Dutch swimmer who was the national champion in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley in 2017.
- Audry Westenbrink: American singer-songwriter who began performing in 2010 and has released two albums.
- Jessie Westenbrink: Dutch professional trampoline athlete. She won the silver medal at the trampoline event at the 2018 European Championships.
- Geertje Westenbrink: Dutch artist and sculptor who has had solo exhibitions in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
- Wouter Westenbrink: Dutch saxophonist who was a member of the Dutch Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Dillian Westenbrink: Dutch film director and cinematographer.
- Amber Westenbrink: Rutten is a Dutch musical theatre actress who has been featured in performances of ‘Annie’ and ‘Cats’ in the Netherlands.
- Anne Westenbrink: Dutch professional cyclist, who last rode for UCI Women's Team Bizkaia–Durango, before retiring in 2016.
- Rieko Westenbrink: Japanese ice skater. She competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
- Imke Westenbrink: Dutch field hockey player who competed in the 2008 Olympics.