Traditional surnames or last names that continue the family name into the future.
Dutch last names began to be used after Napoleon’s invasion when he made it necessary for people to have surnames when registering. From then on, Dutch people started using surnames. These surnames or last names often come from ancestors, family professions, or names of things and animals.
This post ‘Famous Dutch surnames or Last names’ provides a list of common Dutch last names along with their meanings and explanations for why they are commonly used.
Famous Dutch Last names Or surnames
- Aaldenberg
This surname is given to individuals who originated from a place called ‘Aaldenberg,’ which has an unknown location. The surname Aaldenberg translates to ‘old mountain.’
- Aarden
This Dutch surname refers to substances like clay, stone, or earth. People who worked with these substances were probably given this last name.
- Aarle
This surname is used to describe someone from the town of ‘Aarle’ in the Netherlands.
- Abspoel
This last name from the Netherlands comes from the surname ‘Abtspoel,’ which is the name of a property near ‘Oegstgeest’ in South Holland. This last name translates to ‘abbot’s pool.’
- Achterberg
This Dutch surname originates from different locations with the same name in The Netherlands and Germany. The surname Achterberg is derived from two words, ‘achter’ which means ‘behind,’ and ‘berg’ which means a ‘mountain’ or ‘hill.’
- Achterkamp
Achterkamp is a German word that is a surname or a place name. This surname originates from Lower German and is a fusion of the words ‘achter’ which means ‘behind’ and ‘kamp’ which means ‘field.’
- Achthoven
This surname comes from the names of a few towns in The Netherlands. It is made up of the Dutch words for ‘eight’ and ‘gardens’.
- Admiraal
This surname translates to ‘admiral’ in the Dutch language.’
- Adrichem
The surname originates from the title of a castle and the land it was built on in The Netherlands in the 1800s. The name signifies ‘Adrik’s residence.’
- Akkersdijk
This Dutch surname translates to ‘field by the dyke.’ It was given to the residents of the town called Akkersdijk in The Netherlands.
- Alberink
In Dutch, it represents ‘Albert’s farm’.
- Albronda
The surname comes from the names of different streets in the Netherlands.
- Aldenkamp
This last name from the Netherlands means ‘ancient field.’
- Alderliesten
The surname ‘Alderliesten’ comes from the Dutch word meaning ‘the dearest.’ It could have described the person’s nature or been a phrase they often used.
- Aldershof
The surname ‘Aldershof’ comes from combining ‘Aldert’ with the Dutch word ‘hof,’ which means garden or courtyard. So, ‘Aldershof’ translates to Aldert’s garden or Aldert’s courtyard.
- Alferink
The Alferink surname may have a specific meaning in Dutch culture. This surname in Dutch means ‘Alfhard’s farm.’
- Altena
In Dutch, ‘Altena’ means either ‘close’ or ‘near.’ The surname Altena is probably taken from a town in the Netherlands with the same name.
- Amsing
This surname translates to ‘Amse’s farm’ in the Dutch language.
- Andringa
This surname represents ‘Andrie’s farm’ in the Dutch language.
- Angenent
This last name originates from the Dutch words ‘an gen ent’, which translates to ‘at the end’. It is believed to have originally described someone who lived at the end of a road or village.
- Anholts
The people from Anholt in The Netherlands were originally given this surname. The term ‘anholt’ translates to ‘hold’ or ‘rest’ and likely described a place where people would stop or rest for the night.
- Anker
The surname ‘Anker’ is Dutch for anchor and is often used as a last name for someone who is a sailor.
- Annevelink
The last name originated from the Dutch phrase ‘aan ‘tveldink,’ which translates to ‘beside the small field.’
- Apeldoorn
The surname Apeldoorn comes from a city in The Netherlands with the same name. In Dutch, ‘Apeldoorn’ translates to ‘apple tree.’
- Applelhof
The surname ‘Applelhof’ translates to ‘apple’ and ‘hof’ means ‘garden.’ This Dutch surname probably identified someone who lived near or in an apple orchard.
- Appelo
This surname suggests that the person originated from a farm named ‘Aperloo’, which means an apple farm.
- Arbeid
The Dutch last name for ‘work’ or ‘labor’ is known as arbeid.
- Arbeider
It’s a Dutch surname that signifies someone who works or labors.
- Arendonk
This Dutch surname originates from someone who lived in Arendonk, Belgium. This Dutch last name combines the words ‘eagle’ and ‘hill.’
- Arzt
This Dutch surname originates from the German term ‘arzt’ which means doctor. It is believed that this last name was used to describe doctors who were from Germany.
- Asselman
This Dutch surname refers to someone who is from either Asselt, a town in The Netherlands, or Hasselt, a city in Belgium. The term ‘Asselt’ originates from Germanic words meaning ‘ash tree’ and ‘woods on sandy soil.’ The name ‘Hasselt’ comes from the German word for ‘hazel tree.’
- Assenberg
This surname comes from putting together the Dutch words ‘essen,’ which means ‘ash tree,’ and ‘berg,’ which means ‘mountain.’
- Assendorp
This surname probably describes a person from a place called Assendorp in The Netherlands. The name Assendorp comes from the Dutch words ‘essen’ which means ‘ash tree’ and ‘dorp’ which means ‘village.’
- Assink
This surname refers to a location known as ‘Asse’s farm. The last name probably indicated individuals who were from or near the farm, which had an unknown whereabouts.
- Averesch
This Dutch last name probably comes from Dutch words that mean ‘over the ash tree.’
- Aveskamp
In Dutch, this surname is translated as ‘the edge of the camp’.
- Baaiman
The surname means son of Bayaj. The name ‘Bayaj’ comes from the names Baugulf, Boudewijn, or Bernard.
- Baardwijk
The surname ‘Baardwijk’ probably comes from a place in The Netherlands. It is thought to be a combination of the word ‘Baard,’ which is similar to ‘Bert’ and means ‘bright,’ and ‘Wijk,’ a Dutch word meaning ‘neighborhood’ or ‘district.’
- Baars
This surname describes someone who originated from a place called Beers in The Netherlands.
- Baart
This surname is a different form of the word ‘baard,’ which translates to ‘beard’ in the Dutch language.
- Baas
The Dutch surname means ‘leader’ or ‘supervisor.’
- Bakhuizen
This surname means ‘bakehouse’ in Dutch, so it likely belonged to someone who worked at a bakery.
- Berg
This surname comes from Dutch and Germanic and means ‘mountain.’ It likely described a person who resided close to or in the mountains.
- Bezuidenhout
This Dutch surname is created by combining the words ‘zuid’, which means ‘south’, and ‘hout’, which means ‘forest’. Therefore, the last name translates to ‘south forest’.
- Boerefijn
This last name probably originates from the French term ‘beurre fin’ which translates to ‘fine butter’ or ‘good butter.’
- Borst
The Dutch word for ‘chest’ refers to a part of the body.
- Bosch
In Dutch, this surname translates to ‘the woods’ or ‘forest.’
- Bouwmeester
This Dutch last name signifies someone who designs or constructs buildings in the Dutch language.
- Bunschoten
This name was originally used to refer to individuals from a town called Bunschoten in the Netherlands. The word itself signifies a piece of land that is elevated and enclosed.
- Cruyssen
This surname comes from the Dutch word ‘kruis,’ which translates to ‘cross’.
- Daalmans
This surname is a combination of ‘dal,’ which means valley, and ‘mans,’ which means man. This last name refers to individuals who resided in the valley.
- Dam
The Dutch word for ‘dam’ or ‘dike’ is ‘It’.
- De Groot
It is a different form of the word ‘groot,’ which translates to ‘great,’ ‘big,’ or ‘large’ in Dutch.
- De Jonker
This Dutch last name is a different form of the word ‘jonker,’ which translates to ‘young lord.’
- De Haven
This Dutch surname means ‘a safe place,’ ‘a place of safety,’ or ‘a place where ships and boats can dock’ in the Dutch language.
- De Klerk
It is a variation of the Dutch name ‘klerk’, which comes from the Dutch word for ‘clerk’.
- De Vries
It is used to describe someone from Friesland, a region in the northern Netherlands.
- De Witte
This surname translates to ‘the white’ in Dutch and probably describes a person with white hair.
- Eikenboom
This last name of Dutch origin means ‘oak tree.’
- Elzinga
This surname comes from ‘els,’ which means alder tree in Dutch.
- Haak
It is a last name that comes from the occupation of a ‘peddler’ in the Dutch language.
- Haanraads
This last name was first used to describe someone from Haanrade, a village in The Netherlands.
- Hagen
This surname comes from the ancient Dutch name ‘Hago’ which means an ‘enclosure’ or ‘pasture.’ Today, ‘Hagen’ also means a ‘fence’ or ‘hedge’ in Dutch.’
- Heeren
This surname comes from the word meaning ‘lord’ or ‘master.’ It was probably given to someone who either was a lord or worked closely with one.
- Hoedemaker
The surname ‘Hoedemaker’ comes from the Dutch words for hat and maker. It was likely used to identify people who made hats or worked with hat makers.
- Hoek
This surname is from the Dutch language and refers to a specific type of shape or location within a space.
- Holst
This surname is used to describe someone who comes from an area known as Holstein, which is located between the borders of Denmark and Germany.
- Holt
This Dutch surname originates from the Old Dutch term ‘Holt’ which means wooded area.
- Houtkooper
The Dutch surname means someone who buys or sells wood.
- Hummel
It started as a term for someone who is always busy. The last name means ‘bee’ in Middle German, suggesting the person is as hardworking as a bee.
- Jonker
This surname translates to ‘young lord’ or ‘young nobleman’ in the Dutch language.
- Kappel
The surname ‘Kappel’ is a different version of the Dutch word for ‘chapel.’ This last name probably described someone who either worked at a chapel or lived close to one.
- Kikkert
This last name comes from Dutch, where ‘kikker’ means ‘frog’.
- Klein
This surname translates to ‘small’ or ‘little’ in the Dutch language.
- Kloet
This last name originates from an Old Dutch word which means a lump or a ball.
- Koopman
This last name related to a job means ‘merchant’ in the Dutch language.
- Kuiper
The surname ‘Kuiper’ in Dutch means ‘cooper,’ which was a job title for people who made and fixed barrels and casks.
- Langbroek
Originally, it was used to describe someone from Langbroek, a town in The Netherlands. The surname Langbroek comes from ‘lang,’ meaning ‘wide,’ and ‘broek,’ referring to a ‘meadow.’
- Langenberg
In Dutch, ‘long mountain’ is the meaning of this name, and there are multiple locations in The Netherlands with this name.
- Leeuwenhoek
This surname translates to ‘lion’s corner’ in Dutch. One famous person with this last name was Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch scientist known as ‘The Father of Microbiology.’
- Loman
It is used to describe individuals who are from any of the different locations called Lonan in The Netherlands. The surname ‘Loman’ originates from the Old Dutch term ‘loh’ which refers to a ‘meadow’ or a ‘clearing.’
- Muyskens
This last name is linked to an animal because ‘Muyskens’ means ‘little mouse’ in Dutch.
- Nagel
In Dutch, the surname ‘Nagel’ means ‘nail.’ This last name probably was originally given to people who were carpenters or specifically made nails.
- Offermans
Offermans is a popular choice for those who value style and quality. The last name comes from the Dutch word ‘Offer,’ which means a ‘donation’ or ‘offering.’ This surname was probably given to people who collected money in a church.
- Oomen
This surname comes from the term ‘oom’ meaning ‘maternal uncle’ in Middle Dutch.
- Peerenboom
The last name ‘Peer’ in Dutch means a pear tree. This surname was likely given to someone who lived close to pear orchards or worked with them.
- Penders
It is a last name based on the Middle Dutch term ‘Paenders’, which means a person who brews beer.
- Philips
A frequently seen Dutch last name that means ‘son of Philip.’ The name Philip originated from the Greek word ‘Philippos’ which means ‘friends of horses.’
- Prinsen
This surname signifies ‘son of a prince’ and can refer to a real prince or someone who behaves like royalty.
- Rademaker
The first part of the last name comes from the Dutch word ‘Rad’ which means ‘wheel,’ and the second part means ‘maker.’ This makes it an occupational last name that means ‘wheelmaker.’
- Rietveld
This surname comes from the Dutch words for ‘reed’ and ‘field.’
- Roggeveen
This last name from the Netherlands means a field where rye is grown.
- Romeijnders
The word ‘Romein’ comes from Dutch and means a person from Rome.
- Rooijakkers
The word ‘roodakker’ is a combination of the Dutch words for ‘red’ and ‘field,’ so it translates to ‘red field.’ Each word in the name contributes to its overall meaning.
- Roosa
This surname comes from the word ‘roos,’ which means ‘rose’ in Dutch.
- Roosvelt
In Dutch, ‘Roosvelt’ means ‘rose field.’ ‘Roos’ translates to ‘rose,’ and ‘velt’ is derived from the Dutch word ‘veld,’ which means ‘field.’
- Ryskamp
The Dutch surname Ryskam comes from the Dutch word ‘kamp,’ which translates to ‘camp.’
- Schenk
The Dutch surname ‘Schenk’ originated from Middle Dutch and refers to someone who serves wine, leading to it becoming a last name based on occupation.
- School
The Dutch surname for ‘school’ is the same as in English. This last name is also used as an occupational surname, probably for someone who works in a school.
- Schoorl
In Dutch, the surname ‘Schoorl’ translates to ‘forest near the shore.’
- Schrijnemakers
It is a last name that is often given to people who make cabinets. The last name ‘Schrijn’ translates to ‘box’ or ‘container.’
- Slootmaekers
In Dutch, the word ‘slot’ means lock. People who work as locksmiths are often called ‘Slootmaker’ as an occupational name.
- Smit
The surname Smit comes from Middle Dutch and means a metalworker or blacksmith. This last name likely originated from someone’s occupation.
- TerAvest
This surname means someone who lived at the edge of a forest or another area.
105 Van Aalsburg
This Dutch surname refers to someone from a place called ‘Aalsburg.’ The name ‘Aalsburg’ probably comes from the word Adelsburg, where ‘adel’ means ‘noble’ and ‘burg’ means ‘fortress.’
- Van Aggelen
This surname refers to an individual with the last name Van Aggelen. This last name means ‘from Aggelen.’ The name ‘Aggelen’ probably comes from either ‘Achel’ in Belgium or ‘Limburg’ in The Netherlands.’
- Van Aggteren
This Dutch surname indicates that the person is from behind. It likely describes someone who resided in a location situated behind or at the end of a road.
- Van Alphen
This last name indicates that the person is from Alphen, a town in The Netherlands.
- Van Alst
This last name in Dutch translates to ‘from Aalst.’ Aalst is a town located in both Belgium and The Netherlands. The name of the town probably originates from German and means a ‘place to live.’
- Van Amelsvoort
This surname originates from a city in The Netherlands. In Dutch, this last name translates to ‘shallow crossing point of the Amer River.’
- Van Amstel
This Dutch last name comes from where the person is from, specifically the Amstel River in The Netherlands. The name of the river Amstel comes from an old Dutch phrase that means ‘water area.’
- Van Andel
This Dutch surname ‘Vanandel’ originated from a town called Andel in The Netherlands.
- Van Ankeren
This last name signifies ‘from the anchor’ in the Dutch language.
- Van As
Van As is a Dutch surname that translates to ‘from Asch’. Asch is a town in The Netherlands, and its name means ‘ash tree’.
- Van Bokhoven
The last name ‘Bokhoven’ originates from a town in The Netherlands.
- Van Breda
This surname comes from the Dutch words ‘breed’ meaning ‘wide’ and ‘Aa’, which is the name of a river.
- Van Buren
This surname indicates a connection to the towns of Buren in The Netherlands. It comes from the Old Dutch word ‘bur’ which means ‘house’ or ‘dwelling’.
- Van Dalen
In Dutch, the word ‘Dal’ means ‘valley.’ This last name indicates someone is ‘from the Valley.’
- Van Der Aart
The surname ‘Aart’ comes from the Dutch word ‘Aarde,’ which translates to ‘earth.’ This last name indicates a connection to the land, and it might have originally been given to someone who worked as a farmer.
- Van Der Beek
This last name means ‘from the creek’ or ‘from the brook’ in Dutch because ‘Beek’ in Dutch means a small body of water.
- Van Der Berg
This surname signifies ‘from the mountains’ because ‘Berg’ translates to ‘mountains.’
- Van Der Stoep
‘From the paved entrance’ means entering through a porch at the house entrance known as a ‘stoep’ in Dutch.
- Van Der Veen
This surname signifies that someone is from a swamp or peat. Veen refers to a swamp, peat, or marsh. It probably describes someone who lived near a swamp.
- Van Der Zee
In Dutch, the word ‘Zee’ means ‘sea’. This surname signifies a person coming from the sea, and it was originally used for people living by the coast.
- Van Der Vliert
This surname refers to someone who lived near elderberry trees and could have been used for someone who lived in or around an elderberry orchard.
- Van Donk
This Dutch surname translates to ‘from the hill.’ In Dutch, the term ‘Donk’ refers to a sandy hill.
- Van Dijk
This last name from the Netherlands means ‘originating from the Dike.’
- Van Hassel
This surname signifies that someone is from Hassel. Hassel could be a town in Germany. The term ‘Hassel’ likely comes from ‘Hasel,’ a word meaning ‘Hazel tree.’
- Van Herten
This Dutch last name translates to ‘from Herten,’ which is a town in The Netherlands. The surname ‘Herten’ means ‘deer’ in Dutch.
- Van Laar
The Dutch surname ‘Laar’ refers to an opening or clearing in a forest. A person with the surname Laar likely comes from or lived in such a clear space in the forest.
- Van Middelburg
This surname means ‘from Middelburg’, a city in The Netherlands. The city’s name translates to ‘middle fortress’ in Dutch.
- Van Ophoven
This surname signifies ‘from Ophoven’, which is the name of multiple towns in The Netherlands. The term ‘Ophoven’ translates to ‘upper garden’ or ‘upper courtyard.’
- Van Rompaey
This surname signifies coming from a broad pathway. The term ‘Rompaey’ comes from two Middle Dutch words, ‘ruum’ which means ‘wide’ and ‘pat’ which means ‘path.’
- Van Rossum
This Dutch surname means ‘from Rossum,’ a town in The Netherlands. The last name ‘Rossum’ comes from the Dutch words ‘rothe’, which means a clearing in a forest, and ‘heim’, which means home.
- Van Wegberg
This means ‘from Wegberg’, a small town in Germany near the border with the Netherlands. The name ‘Wegberg’ comes from Old German words, ‘weg’ which means ‘way’ or ‘path’ and ‘berg’ which means ‘mountain’.
- Van Willigen
This surname means ‘from willows.’ The term ‘Willigen’ originates from the Old Dutch word ‘wilga’ which means ‘willow.’
- Verboom
This Dutch last name translates to ‘from the tree.’
- Verhoeven
This surname means ‘from the farm’ in Dutch because ‘Hoeve’ translates to ‘farm’. Therefore, this last name was typically given to individuals who resided on a farm.
- Vermeulen
This surname from the Netherlands translates to ‘from the mill.’
- Ververs
The surname Verver means someone who dyes or paints things, so it is a last name based on a person’s job.
- Vervloet
In the Flemish dialect of Dutch, the last name means ‘from the stream.’
- Visscher
The surname comes from the Dutch word ‘visser,’ which translates to ‘fisherman.’ Visscher is a Dutch last name related to the fishing occupation.
- Vogel
In Dutch, this last name translates to ‘bird.’ It was likely used as a surname for people who caught birds and as a nickname for someone who enjoys singing.
- Vossen
This surname is derived from the Old Germanic word ‘Fos,’ which means ‘folk’ or ‘people.’
- Vroom
This surname from the Netherlands means ‘religious’ or ‘devoted.’
- Wang
This surname was originally given to people who had noticeable, round, or rosy cheeks.
- Waterman
This surname likely originated as a job-related last name, but could also describe someone who resides near a body of water.
- Westenberg
Westenberg is a Dutch surname that translates to ‘west of the mountain’. It was probably given to someone who lived in that area.
- Zaal
The surname ‘Zaal’ is the Dutch version of the word ‘hall.’
- Zuiderduin
This last name originating from the Netherlands translates to ‘southern Dune.’
Frequently Asked Questions
Last names give individuals a special way to identify themselves based on where they come from or their family heritage. Dutch surnames, in particular, often come from where a person is from or what they do for a living. Even as Dutch people have moved to different parts of the world over the years, their last names have stayed with them, giving us clues about their past and the range of their culture.
