List of Dutch family names
Encyclopedia
Dutch
family names were not required until 1811 when emperor
Napoleon had annexed the Netherlands, prior to 1811, the use of patronymic
s was much more common.
In Dutch linguistics
, many names use certain qualifying words (prepositions) which are positioned between a person's given name
and their surname
. Although these words, tussenvoegsel
s, are not strictly essential to state the person's surname, they are nevertheless a part of the surname and are almost always included for clarity. For example, someone whose family name is "De Vries" is not found at the letter "D" in the telephone directory
but at "V;" the "de" is a tussenvoegsel
and is not a part of the indexing process but rather is more of a stylistic qualifier. Another reason for this methodology is that it makes finding someone's name in a database
relatively easy, since most Dutch prepositions start with the same letter
(and thus if the prepositions led, there would be constant superfluous data entry to arrive at the desired name.)
In the Netherlands, the tussenvoegsel is written with a capital letter if no name precedes it. For example:
See also the main Dutch surnames section.
s, town
s, nickname
s or alias
es. However, these silly names are held by a minority, much like writing "Cake" on the religion question on a census sheet.
following the name after a comma. Meanings are provided where known. "van der" is abbreviated "vd".
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
family names were not required until 1811 when emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Napoleon had annexed the Netherlands, prior to 1811, the use of patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
s was much more common.
In Dutch linguistics
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, many names use certain qualifying words (prepositions) which are positioned between a person's given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
and their surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
. Although these words, tussenvoegsel
Tussenvoegsel
A tussenvoegsel in Dutch linguistics is a word that is positioned between a person's first and last name. The most common tussenvoegsels are "van" meaning "from" and "de" , meaning "the"...
s, are not strictly essential to state the person's surname, they are nevertheless a part of the surname and are almost always included for clarity. For example, someone whose family name is "De Vries" is not found at the letter "D" in the telephone directory
Telephone directory
A telephone directory is a listing of telephone subscribers in a geographical area or subscribers to services provided by the organization that publishes the directory...
but at "V;" the "de" is a tussenvoegsel
Tussenvoegsel
A tussenvoegsel in Dutch linguistics is a word that is positioned between a person's first and last name. The most common tussenvoegsels are "van" meaning "from" and "de" , meaning "the"...
and is not a part of the indexing process but rather is more of a stylistic qualifier. Another reason for this methodology is that it makes finding someone's name in a database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
relatively easy, since most Dutch prepositions start with the same letter
Letter (alphabet)
A letter is a grapheme in an alphabetic system of writing, such as the Greek alphabet and its descendants. Letters compose phonemes and each phoneme represents a phone in the spoken form of the language....
(and thus if the prepositions led, there would be constant superfluous data entry to arrive at the desired name.)
In the Netherlands, the tussenvoegsel is written with a capital letter if no name precedes it. For example:
- a person with the name "Jan" as a given name and "de Vries" as a surname would be written Jan de Vries.
- However, "de heer De Vries" would mean, literally, Mr. De Vries - with "De" being the given name.
See also the main Dutch surnames section.
Funny or silly Dutch surnames
It is a myth that, since many Dutch people thought the annexation (and thus, the convention of using surnames) would only be temporary, some deliberately chose confusing or comical names. These family names were either existing patronymics or derived from professionProfession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
s, town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
s, nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s or alias
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
es. However, these silly names are held by a minority, much like writing "Cake" on the religion question on a census sheet.
| Dutch surname Dutch language Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second... |
Explanation | English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
|---|---|---|
| De Keizer | probably a wordplay on emperor Napoleon when people came to register their name; Who are you? I'm the emperor. | Lit. "emperor". |
| Rotmensen | rot, adjective Adjective In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified.... meaning "rotten" + mensen "people" |
Lit. "rotten people". |
| Poepjes | poep, noun Noun In linguistics, a noun is a member of a large, open lexical category whose members can occur as the main word in the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition .Lexical categories are defined in terms of how their members combine with other kinds of... meaning "poo/feces", + jes plural diminutive More likely; patronymic of Poppo Poppo (Frisian) Poppo , also known as Bubo or Bobba, was a king of Frisia from the 8th century. After Aldgisl and Radboud he is the third Frisian ruler mentioned in the literature. He is possibly the last Frisian king... ; Poppo's son --> poppos' --> poepjes |
Lit. "excrement; poopie". |
| Piest | piest, third-person singular form of the verb Verb A verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word that in syntax conveys an action , or a state of being . In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive... piesen meaning "to urinate/to piss" |
(He/She/It) "pisses/urinates" |
| Naaktgeboren | naakt, adjective meaning "naked", + geboren meaning "born" More likely; from Germanic Nachgeboren, born after, equivalent of Posthumous, meaning born after the death of the father. |
Lit. "born naked" |
| Zeldenthuis | zelden, adverb Adverb An adverb is a part of speech that modifies verbs or any part of speech other than a noun . Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives , clauses, sentences, and other adverbs.... meaning "seldom", + thuis meaning "at home" |
Lit. "seldom at home" |
List of Dutch surnames
This list will be sorted per the above criteria, with the tussenvoegselTussenvoegsel
A tussenvoegsel in Dutch linguistics is a word that is positioned between a person's first and last name. The most common tussenvoegsels are "van" meaning "from" and "de" , meaning "the"...
following the name after a comma. Meanings are provided where known. "van der" is abbreviated "vd".
- Bakker - Baker
- Bijl, vd - "from the axe" - i.e. descended from woodcutters (lumberjackLumberjackA lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
s) - Bos - Forest
- Berg, vd - From the hill
- Boer, de - Farmer
- Boor, vd - possibly of the same French root as Boer - farmer or simple person; "boorish"
- Brouwer - Brewer
- Buskirk, van - literally "bush church", or "church in the woods"
- Citroen - lemon, e.g. see André CitroënAndré CitroënAndré-Gustave Citroën was a French industrialist. He is remembered chiefly for the make of car named after him, but also for his application of double helical gears.- Life and career :...
- Dijkstra - From the dike
- Graaf, de - The count/earl
- Byl, vd - AmericanizationAmericanizationAmericanization is the influence of the United States on the popular culture, technology, business practices, or political techniques of other countries. The term has been used since at least 1907. Inside the U.S...
of "van der Bijl" - Coevorden, van - e.g. see George Vancouver#Origins of the family name
- Dekker - Thatcher
- Dijk, Dyk, Deijck, van - From the dike
- Groot, de - The big / great
- Haan, de - Rooster
- Hendriks - Henry's son
- Hoff - (enclosed) garden / servant
- Hoff, van het - from the servant / enclosed) garden
- Leeuwen, van - From Leeuwen/Leuven; Levi
- Janssen - John's son
- Jong, de - Junior
- Jansen - John's son
- Koning, Koningh, de - KingKing (surname)King is a family name of Scottish and English origin.The English name comes from Old English cyning , which may derive from Brythonic cun or cwn....
- Linden, vd - from the tree
- Meijer, Meyer - Bailiff or steward
- Meer, vd - From the lake
- Mesman, mes = knife
- Mulder, Molenaar - Miller
- Maarschalkerweerd - Keeper of Marshlands - amb
- Peters - Peter's son
- Prins - PrincePrincePrince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
- Smit, Smits - Smith
- Spaans - Spanish
- Visser - Fisher
- Vliet, van - From the water
- Vries, de - The Frisian
- Vos - Fox
- Wit, de - White (=the blond)