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Dutch last names: 150+ surnames and their meanings

159 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest

The most common Dutch last names are De Jong, De Vries and Jansen, and most began as simple descriptions: the young one, the Frisian and son of Jan. Many Dutch families had surnames for centuries, but in 1811, under French rule, everyone in the Netherlands had to register a fixed one, which is when patronymics like Janszoon settled into family names like Jansen.

This page lists 150+ real Dutch surnames with their meanings: the most common names, van and van der names, de and nickname surnames, trades, patronymics, Frisian -stra and -ma names, nature names, Flemish surnames from Belgium, and Dutch family names that traveled to America and South Africa. Pronunciations are approximate. The FAQ explains tussenvoegsels, the little words like van, de and ter.

Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks

  • Hendriks

    Son of Hendrik, the Dutch form of Henry

  • De Graaf

    The count, or someone in a count's service

  • De Smet

    The smith, the Flemish form of Smit

  • Vogel

    Bird, a nickname or a name for a bird catcher

  • Van Wijk

    From the settlement or district, Dutch wijk. Say van WIKE

  • Goossens

    From Gozzo, an old Germanic given name

Want endless ideas? Try the last name generator and generate new names in one click.

Most common Dutch last names

The Netherlands' most widespread surnames, led by De Jong. Van den Berg (from the hill) and Van der Meer (from the lake) also rank near the top.

  1. De Jong: The young one; the most common surname in the Netherlands. Say duh YONG
  2. De Vries US #2,544: The Frisian, for someone from Friesland in the north. Say duh FREES
  3. Jansen US #2,157: Son of Jan, the Dutch form of John
  4. Janssen US #3,207: Son of Jan, the same patronymic with a double s
  5. Bakker: Baker, from Middle Dutch backere
  6. Van Dijk: From the dike, for a family living by an embankment. Say van DIKE
  7. Visser: Fisherman, an occupational name from Dutch vis, fish
  8. Smit: Metalworker who forged iron tools and horseshoes
  9. Meijer: Steward or tenant farmer who managed land for a lord. Say MY-er
  10. De Boer US #4,378: The farmer, a cognate of German Bauer. Say duh BOOR
  11. Mulder US #4,743: Miller, the Dutch counterpart of the English surname
  12. De Groot: The big one, from groot, big or great. Say duh GROHT
  13. Hendriks: Son of Hendrik, the Dutch form of Henry
  14. Dekker: Roofer or thatcher, someone who covered houses
  15. Van Leeuwen: From Leeuwen, the name of towns in Gelderland and Limburg
  16. Brouwer: Brewer of beer or ale. Say BROW-er
  17. De Wit: The white, a nickname for fair or white hair
  18. Dijkstra: Dweller by the dike, with the Frisian ending -stra. Say DIKE-stra
  19. Van der Linden: From the linden trees, for a family living near them
  20. Kok: Cook, an occupational name for a kitchen worker

Dutch last names with van

Van means from. These surnames name a home town, a river or a feature of the landscape, and many are far older than 1811.

  1. Van Beek: From the creek or brook, for a family by running water
  2. Van Dam: From the dam, for a family living by a dam or dike
  3. Van Vliet: From the stream, Dutch vliet, a small waterway
  4. Van Wijk: From the settlement or district, Dutch wijk. Say van WIKE
  5. Van Rijn: From the Rhine; the painter Rembrandt's family name. Say van RINE
  6. Van Dalen: From the valley, from Old Dutch dal
  7. Van Houten: From the woods, Dutch hout, wood or forest. Say van HOW-ten
  8. Van Gogh: From Goch, a German town near the Dutch border
  9. Van Breda: From Breda, a city in the province of North Brabant
  10. Van Amstel: From the Amstel, the river that gave Amsterdam its name
  11. Van Alphen: From Alphen, a town named for the Roman fort Albaniana
  12. Van Willigen: From the willows, from Old Dutch wilga
  13. Van Assen: From Assen, the capital city of Drenthe province
  14. Van Donk: From the donk, a sandy hill rising above wet land
  15. Van Laar: From a laar, an open clearing in the forest used for grazing
  16. Van As: From Asch, a place named for the ash tree

Van der, van den, ter and ten surnames

Van der, van den and van de mean from the, pointing to one spot in the landscape. Ter and ten mean at the.

  1. Van der Veen: From the fen, a peat bog of the wet lowlands. Say van der VAYN
  2. Van den Heuvel: From the hill, Dutch heuvel. Say van den HUH-vel
  3. Van den Broek: From the marsh, Dutch broek, wet low ground. Say van den BROOK
  4. Van der Heijden: From the heathland, Dutch heide. Say van der HIGH-den
  5. Van der Wal: From the wall, a rampart or quay
  6. Van der Laan: From the lane, a path or avenue
  7. Van der Zee: From the sea, for a family living on the coast
  8. Van den Bosch: From the woods, Middle Dutch bosch, forest
  9. Van den Brink: From the brink, the grassy center of a village
  10. Van der Meulen: From the mill, an old form of molen
  11. Van de Velde: From the field, Dutch veld
  12. Van den Akker: From the plowed field, Dutch akker
  13. Van der Lee: From the canal or ditch, Dutch lee
  14. Van der Stoep: From the stoep, a paved porch; source of English stoop
  15. Ter Avest: At the edge, for a home by a forest or shelter
  16. Ten Eyck: At the oak; an old Dutch family of New York

De surnames and Dutch nickname surnames

De means the. Many of these began as nicknames for looks, character or rank, and some came from the painted signs that once named houses.

  1. De Haan: The rooster, a nickname or a house sign
  2. De Bruijn: The brown one, for brown hair or a dark complexion
  3. De Lange: The tall one, a cognate of English Long
  4. De Wilde: The wild one, a nickname for an untamed character
  5. De Klerk: The clerk, a cognate of English Clark
  6. De Koning: The king, a cognate of English King
  7. De Graaf: The count, or someone in a count's service
  8. De Haas: The hare, a cognate of the German surname Hase
  9. De Kock: The cook, a cognate of English Cook
  10. De Ruiter: The rider or horseman, often a mounted soldier
  11. Vroom: Pious or devout, a Dutch nickname for a religious person
  12. Prins: Prince, a cognate of the English surname Prince
  13. Kroon: Crown, from Latin corona by way of Dutch
  14. Baart: Beard, for a man who wore one
  15. Jonker: Young lord, from the old title jonkheer
  16. Heeren: Lord or master, for someone who acted like one

Dutch occupational surnames

Trade names were common in towns. Many have English cousins: Bakker is Baker, Kuiper is Cooper and Snijder is Snyder.

  1. Kuiper: Cooper, a maker of barrels. Say KOW-per
  2. Koster: Sexton or churchwarden who cared for a church
  3. Timmerman US #4,873: Carpenter, a cognate of German Zimmermann
  4. Schouten: Son of the schout, a local sheriff or bailiff
  5. Schipper: Skipper or ship captain
  6. Koopman: Merchant, from Dutch kopen, to buy
  7. Snijder: Tailor, from snijden, to cut. Say SNY-der
  8. Huisman: Farmer who owned his own farm and house
  9. Hoedemaker: Hat maker, from hoed, hat. Say HOO-duh-mah-ker
  10. Rademaker: Wheelmaker, from Dutch rad, wheel
  11. Bouwmeester: Architect or master builder
  12. Ververs: Dyer or painter, from Dutch verver
  13. Schenk US #4,672: Wine server or cupbearer at a noble table
  14. Haak: Peddler or traveling seller
  15. Bakhuizen: Bakehouse, an occupational name for a baker
  16. Houtkooper: Wood buyer or timber merchant

Dutch patronymic surnames and the 1811 registration

Before 1811 many Dutch people used patronymics like Pieterszoon, son of Pieter. When registration became compulsory under French rule, these froze into family names.

  1. Willems: Son of Willem, the Dutch form of William
  2. Gerritsen: Son of Gerrit, a Dutch form of Gerard
  3. Pieters: Son of Pieter, the Dutch form of Peter
  4. Dirksen: Son of Dirk, a short form of Diederik
  5. Claasen: Son of Klaas, short for Nicolaas
  6. Martens US #3,513: Son of Marten, a Dutch form of Martin
  7. Evers US #3,869: Son of Evert, a Dutch form of Everard
  8. Geerts: Son of Geert, a Dutch form of Gerard
  9. Arends: Son of Arend, a Dutch form of Arnold
  10. Driessen: Son of Dries, short for Andries, Andrew
  11. Adriaansen: Son of Adriaan, the Dutch form of Adrian
  12. Lucassen: Son of Lucas, the Dutch form of Luke
  13. Wouters: Son of Wouter, the Dutch form of Walter
  14. Coenen: From Coenraad, the Dutch form of Conrad
  15. Zondervan: Without a van: chosen in 1811 by people lacking a surname
  16. Naaktgeboren: From German nachgeboren, a child born after the father died

Frisian last names: -stra and -ma

Friesland in the north has its own language. Its surnames often end in -stra, a dweller at a place, or -ma, son of.

  1. Hoekstra: Dweller on the corner, from Frisian hoek. Say HOOK-stra
  2. Veenstra: Dweller by the fen or peat bog
  3. Zijlstra: Dweller by the zijl, a sluice or watercourse. Say ZILE-stra
  4. Bootsma: Boatman, from Dutch boot, boat
  5. Bakema: Son of Bake, an old name meaning fight
  6. Aukema: Son of Auke, a Frisian given name
  7. Atsma: Son of Atse, a Frisian given name
  8. Adema: Son of Ade, a Frisian given name
  9. Annema: Son of Anne, a Frisian man's name
  10. Laninga: From Frisian lân, land
  11. Andringa: Farm belonging to Andries, with the Frisian ending -inga
  12. Baarda: From Baard, a village in Friesland
  13. Herrema: Frisian form of Heeren, lord or master

Dutch surnames from nature and places

Birds, trees, fields and fruit gave the Dutch many family names, along with dunes, corners and hills.

  1. Vink: Finch, a bird nickname like the English surname Finch
  2. Vogel US #1,162: Bird, a nickname or a name for a bird catcher
  3. Pauw: Peacock, a nickname for a proud or showy person
  4. Kikkert: Frog, from Dutch kikker
  5. Muyskens: Little mouse, a gentle Dutch nickname
  6. Rietveld: Reed field; designer Gerrit made the Red and Blue Chair
  7. Roggeveen: Rye field; explorer Jacob reached Easter Island in 1722
  8. Eikenboom: Oak tree, from eik, oak, and boom, tree
  9. Peerenboom: Pear tree, for someone by a pear orchard
  10. Appelhof: Apple garden, for a family by an orchard
  11. Leeuwenhoek: Lion's corner; the microscope pioneer of Delft carried it
  12. Zuiderduin: Southern dune, for a home among the coastal dunes
  13. Roosa: Rose, from Dutch roos
  14. Westenberg: West of the hill, for a family living there
  15. Rooijakkers: Red fields, from rood, red, and akker, field

Flemish last names from Belgium

Dutch is also spoken in Flanders, northern Belgium, where surnames lean patronymic. There the van or de is usually capitalized.

  1. Peeters: Son of Peter; the most common surname in Flanders
  2. Vandroogenbroeck: From the dry marsh, Dutch droog broek
  3. Claes: From Klaas, a short form of Nicholas
  4. Goossens: From Gozzo, an old Germanic given name
  5. Mertens: From Merten, an old form of Martin
  6. De Smet: The smith, the Flemish form of Smit
  7. Van Damme: From Damme, a town near Bruges named for its dam
  8. Vermeulen: From the mill, with ver- short for van der
  9. Van Dyck: Flemish spelling of the dike name; painter Anthony's surname
  10. De Backer: The baker, a Flemish cognate of Baker
  11. Lambrechts: From Lambrecht, the Dutch form of Lambert
  12. Wuyts: From a pet form of Wouter, Walter
  13. Vervloet: From the stream, with ver- for van der
  14. Merckx: From the given name Mark; cycling great Eddy's surname
  15. Van Rompaey: From the wide path, Middle Dutch ruum pat

Dutch last names in America and South Africa

Dutch settlers reached New Netherland in the 1600s and the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. Their surnames often changed spelling along the way.

  1. Roosevelt: Rose field; two US presidents carried it
  2. Van Buren: From Buren, a Dutch town; President Martin's family
  3. Crusan: American form of Cruyssen, a Dutch place named for a cross
  4. Van Wyck: American spelling of Van Wijk, from the settlement
  5. Voorhees: From voor Hees, in front of Hees, a Drenthe hamlet
  6. Yonkers: From jonkheer, young lord; also a New York city
  7. Snyder US #172: Tailor, an American spelling of Dutch Snijder or German Schneider
  8. Spiker: American form of Spijker, granary keeper or nail maker
  9. Yancy: American form of Jansen, son of Jan
  10. Tunison: American form of Teunissen, son of Teunis, Anthony
  11. Van Middlesworth: American form of Van Middelburg, from the Zeeland city
  12. Benscoter: American form of Bunschoten, a town in Utrecht province
  13. Botha: Afrikaans name from Bode, a Low German given name
  14. Pretorius: Latin praetor, leader, a 1600s translation of Schulte
  15. Bezuidenhout: South of the wood, a district of The Hague
  16. Van Tonder: From Tønder, a Danish town near the German border

How to pick the right name

Mind the capital letters

In the Netherlands the van or de is lowercase after a first name (Vincent van Gogh) and capitalized when the surname stands alone (Van Gogh). Belgian families usually capitalize it every time.

Let the ending place the family

A name ending in -stra or -ma points to Friesland, -sen or -s to an old patronymic, and -ckx or -aey to Flanders. The ending can quietly tell a character's home region.

Keep the whole prefix

Van der Veen and Veen are different names to a Dutch speaker. Keep van, de, van der or ter exactly as the family uses it.

Look for American spellings

Many Dutch names changed in the United States: Van Wijk became Van Wyck and Snijder became Snyder. If you are tracing family history, search both spellings.

Dutch last names: 159 ideas from Nomezo

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most common Dutch last name?

De Jong, meaning the young one, is the most common surname in the Netherlands. De Vries, Jansen, Van den Berg, Bakker, Van Dijk and Visser follow close behind.

What does van mean in Dutch last names?

Van means from, so Van Dijk means from the dike and Van Gogh means from Goch. Unlike the German von, it rarely signals nobility; most van families were ordinary townspeople and farmers.

What are tussenvoegsels?

Tussenvoegsels are the small words between a first name and the main surname, such as van, de, van der, van den, ter and ten. Dutch phone books and indexes sort by the main word, so Van Dijk is found under D.

When did Dutch people get last names?

Many families already had surnames, but in 1811, while the Netherlands was part of Napoleon's empire, everyone had to register a fixed family name. People who still used patronymics, especially in the north, chose surnames then.

Did people choose silly Dutch surnames to mock the French?

Mostly no. That is a popular myth. Naaktgeboren, often cited as a joke name, comes from a German word for a child born after the father's death, and many supposed joke names existed long before 1811.

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