Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Aalderink DutchHabitational name from any of several farms, derived from the older form
Alardink meaning "
Alard’s place".
Alblas DutchFrom the name of a river in the Netherlands, or a nearby town.
Alnemy FlemishOnly know relation claims birth in East Flanders. Arabic speakers believe it may be of Syrian or Saudi Arabian origin.
Appel German, Dutch, Jewish, YiddishFrom Low German
Appel, Middle Dutch
appel, or Yiddish
epl "apple", an occupational name for a grower or seller of the fruit. As a Jewish surname, it is generally ornamental rather than occupational.
Appelman DutchOccupational name from Middle Dutch
apelmanger "apple seller".
Axel Dutch (Rare), Flemish (Rare)Habitational name for someone from either of two places,
Aksel in East Flanders or
Axel in Zeeland, both possibly derived from a relative of Old High German
ahsala "shoulder", referring to an elevated piece of land.
Bakkum DutchHabitational name from a village in North Holland province, Netherlands, derived from Old Germanic
*baka "back, curve, elevated place" and Old Dutch
hēm "home, house; settlement, hamlet".
Bal DutchDiminutive form of the given name
Baldwin, or perhaps another name beginning with
bald "bold, brave".
Bal DutchMeans "ball, sphere" in Dutch, a nickname for a ball player or someone who made balls, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a landmark shaped like a ball. Cognate to English
Ball.
Balkenende DutchPossibly from a place name derived from Middle Dutch
balke meaning "timber, beam" and
einde meaning "end". A famous bearer is the former Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende (1956-).
Barzilaij Dutch, JewishDutch form (or "dutchization", if you will) of
Barzilai via
Barzilay. This name is found exclusively in the Dutch-Jewish community, and is considered quite rare: there were only 112 bearers in 1947 and only 51 bearers in 2007.
Baumfree Dutch, American, African AmericanThis name is clearly derived from Sojourner Truth, a former African-American slave who was born as Isabella Bomefree (but at some point the surname was changed to the more German-looking Baumfree). Although Sojourner's original owners - James and Elizabeth Bomefree/Baumfree - were apparently of Dutch descent, it is questionable whether the surname is really of Dutch origin... [
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Bay English, French, DutchDerived from Middle English and Old French
bay,
bai and Middle Dutch
bay, all meaning "reddish brown". It was originally a nickname for someone with a hair color similar to that.
Beeks DutchFrom Dutch
beek meaning "brook, stream".
Beenders DutchPossibly an occupational name for a bookbinder or barrel maker, from Middle Dutch
binden "to bind, to tie". Alternatively, could be related to
been "bone".
Beer German, DutchFrom Middle Low German
bare, Middle Dutch
bere "bear". Given as a nickname to someone who was thought to resemble a bear, a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept a performing bear, or a habitational name for someone who lived near a sign depicting a bear... [
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Beers DutchCould be a habitational name from either of two Dutch villages called
Beers, or derived from a short form of the personal name
Bernhard.
Beilen DutchHabitational name from a village in Drenthe, Netherlands, possibly related to Old Germanic
*bagil- "swamp, marsh".
Bergen German, Dutch, Flemish, JewishOriginally denoted a person from any of the various places named
Bergen in Germany and the Netherlands. It is also a variant of
Berg. Famous bearers include the Americans Candice Bergen (1946-), an actress, and Polly Bergen (1930-2014), an actress, singer and television host.
Bergkamp Dutch, GermanFrom the name of various places in the Netherlands and Germany, derived from Old Dutch and Old High German
berg meaning "mountain" and
kamp meaning "field". This name is borne by Dutch former soccer player Dennis Bergkamp (1969-).
Berkhout DutchHabitational name derived from Dutch
berk "birch (tree)" and
hout "wood, forest".
Biesheuvel DutchFrom
Biesheuvel, the name of a small village in the north of the province of Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands. It is derived from Dutch
bies meaning "bulrush, club rush" (a grasslike plant that grows in wetlands and damp locations) and
heuvel meaning "hill"... [
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Bijl DutchMeans "axe" in Dutch, a metonymic name for someone who used an axe in their work, such as a woodcutter, shipwright, or butcher. Alternatively, a metronym derived from a short form of
Amabilia or
Sibilia.
Blaauw Dutch, South AfricanArchaic spelling of Dutch
blauw "blue", a nickname referring to the bearer’s eye colour, clothes, or possibly a pale and sickly complexion. It could also be an occupational name for someone who made blue dye, or bluing for laundry.
Blank German, Dutch, JewishMeans "white, pale, bright", a nickname for a person with white or fair hair or a pale complexion. As a Jewish name, it’s ornamental.
Blankenbijl DutchMeans "white axe", from
blanken "white, pale; bare" and
bijl "axe". Possibly a toponymic name, or perhaps an occupational name for a woodcutter or carpenter.
Blazer DutchFrom Middle Dutch
blaser "blower", from
blâsen "to blow, to sound (a wind instrument); to brag", hence an occupational name for a player of the trumpet or other wind instrument, or a nickname for a braggart or boaster.
Bleecker DutchOld form of Dutch
bleker "bleacher", an occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, a launderer, or the owner of a public bleaching ground.
Bleeker DutchOccupational name for a bleacher of textiles, from Middle Dutch
ble(e)kere.
Blemker Dutch (Americanized)Possibly an Americanized form of an occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, derived from Middle Dutch
bleker.
Blijleven DutchFrom a nickname meaning "happy life" in Dutch, indicating a cheerful person.
Blink DutchTopographic name from
blink "bare hill, white dune".
Bloem DutchMeans "flower, bloom" or "flour (of wheat, corn)" in Dutch. Could be a nickname for a pretty or cheerful person, a metonymic occupational name for a florist, gardener, baker or miller, or a habitational name for a person who lived near flowers or a sign depicting them... [
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Bloemen Dutch, FlemishMeans "flowers, blooms" or "flour" in Dutch. Can be a nickname denoting beauty or a cheerful disposition, an occupational name for a gardener, miller, or baker, or a habitational name for someone who lived near flowers, or a sign depicting them... [
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Bloemendaal DutchMeans "valley of flowers", the name of several places in the Netherlands, derived from
bloem "flower" and
dal "valley, dale". Cognate to German
Blumenthal.
Blok DutchMeans "block" in Dutch. This could be a nickname for someone with a heavy build, a metonymic occupational name for someone who used a block of wood in their work, such as a shoemaker, a milliner, or an executioner, or a toponymic surname for someone living on an enclosed piece of land.
Bode German, Dutch, English, DanishMeans "messenger, deliverer, herald; prophet, omen", ultimately from Old Germanic
budą. This can be an occupational name, or a patronymic derived from a given name containing the element (see
Bothe).
Boen DutchVariant form of
Boon 3. Alternatively, a romanised form of the Chinese surname
Wen, mostly found in Indonesia (a former Dutch colony).
Bol DutchFrom Dutch
bol "ball, sphere" or "bun, roll, round piece of bread or pastry", possibly an occupational name for a baker, a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a ball or globe, or a nickname for a bald man, or perhaps a ball player.
Bol DutchDerived from the given name
Baldo, a short form of names beginning with the element
bald "bold, brave”.
Boom DutchFrom Old Dutch
bom "tree", a nickname for someone tall or robust, or a toponymic surname for someone who lived by a notable tree. It could also be an occupational name for someone who operated a boom barrier
Boomgaarden East Frisian, DutchFrom Dutch
boomgaard "orchard", literally "tree garden", an occupational name for an orchard worker or a topographic name for someone who lived in or by an orchard.
Boomhouwer DutchOccupational name meaning "woodcutter", from
boom "tree" and
houwen "to hew, chop". Compare German
Baumhauer.
Boon DutchFrom
boon "bean". Refers to a person who grows beans, or a nickname for someone tall and thin (i.e. stringbean).
Boot German, DutchMetonymic occupational name for a boat builder, sailor, or a ship’s carpenter, from Dutch
boot "boat, ship".
Boot Dutch, GermanPatronymic form of
Bode, derived from either Old High German
boto "messenger, envoy" or the related
bot "command, order".
Borne DutchShortened form of the Dutch surname
van den Borne, derived from Middle Dutch
borne "well, spring, source". A habitational name for someone from Born in the province of Limburg (Netherlands) or from a place associated with the watercourse of the Borre river in French Flanders.
Boschman DutchFrom Middle Dutch
bosch "wood, forest" and
man "person, man", a name for someone who lived or worked in a forest.
Bosma West Frisian, DutchMeans "man of the forest", from Dutch
bos "forest, woods" and the Frisian suffix
-ma.
Braafheid Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)Means "braveness" in Dutch, derived from
braaf meaning "brave, well-behaved, obedient" and the suffix -
heid denoting a condition or state of being. This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person... [
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Brandhorst German, DutchPossibly derived from
brant "fire, torch, sword" and
horst "thicket, grove, heap, elevated land" or "nest of a bird of prey, eyrie".
Brands Dutch, GermanPatronymic from the given name
Brand, derived from Old Dutch
brand "fire, sword, torch" or a name containing the element.
Bras French, DutchFrom Old French and Middle Dutch
bras "arm". This was probably a descriptive nickname for someone with some peculiarity of the arm, but the word was also used as a measure of length, and may also have denoted a surveyor.
Brinker German, DutchDerived from
brink "edge, slope" or "village green", indicating that the bearer of the surname lived near a prominent slope of land or next to the centre of a village.
Broeders DutchFrom Middle Dutch
broeder "brother, colleague" or "friar, monk, clergyman". Compare the German surname
Bruder.
Bruggeman Dutch, FlemishMeans "bridgeman" in Dutch, an occupational name for someone who operated, guarded, or otherwise worked on a bridge. It could also denote someone who lived near a bridge, or who came from the Flemish city of
Bruges, which also derives from Old Dutch
brugga "bridge".
Buijs DutchPatronymic form of
Boso. Alternatively, could derive from Dutch
buis "gambeson, jacket" as a nickname for someone who made or wore jackets, or from
buis "herring buss, fishing boat" as a nickname for a fisherman.
Buis DutchMeans "buss, fishing vessel" in Dutch, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman. Alternatively, a variant of the patronymic surname
Buijs.
Buitenhuis DutchMeans "country house, building outside of the city" in Dutch, derived from
buiten "outside, out of; in the country" and
huis "house, home, residence".
Burger English, German, DutchStatus name for a freeman of a borough. From Middle English
burg, Middle High German
burc and Middle Dutch
burch "fortified town". Also a German habitational name for someone from a place called
Burg.
Bus DutchPossibly derived from Middle Dutch
busse meaning "firelock" or "round box, tin", an occupational name for someone who made containers or firearms.
Bussemaker DutchOccupational name for a maker of boxes, tins or firearms, from Dutch
bus "box, tin, container, firearm" and
maker "maker".
Buster DutchRelated to German
Buste "blister, pimple, pockmark, ulcer", ultimately from Latin
apostema "boil, abscess".
Buurman DutchFrom Old Dutch
bur meaning "neighbour, resident" or "peasant, farmer" combined with
man "person, man". Compare
Baumann.
By DutchVariant form of
De Bie. Alternatively, could derive from a place name.
Carmiggelt DutchDutch cognate of
Carmichael. This was the surname of the Dutch writer, journalist and poet Simon Carmiggelt (1913-1987).
Cats Dutch, JewishHabitational name for a person from the village of
Kats in Zeeland, Holland, or a nickname for someone who in some way resembled a cat, derived from Middle Dutch
catte literally meaning "cat"... [
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Coninx Belgian, DutchVariant form of
Koning, from a genitive form of Middle Dutch
coninc "king, leader, important person".
Corson Dutch (Americanized, ?)From the given name of
Cors Pieters, a sailor with the Dutch West Indies Company, who arrived in the Dutch Colony, New Amsterdam (present day New York), on or before 1638... [
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Crombrugge Belgian, FlemishPossibly means "crooked bridge", from Middle Dutch
crom "bent, not straight" and
brugge "bridge".
Cronkhite Dutch (Americanized)Americanized form of the obsolete Dutch surname
Krankheyt, derived from
krankheid meaning "illness, weakness", most likely a nickname for a sickly individual.
Cruijff DutchReferred to a person with curly locks of hair, derived from Middle Dutch
cruuf,
cruve literally meaning "curl, lock", ultimately from Latin
curvus. This name has been borne by two Dutch soccer players, Johan Cruijff (1947-2016) and his son Jordi Cruijff (1974-).
Cruyff DutchVariant of
Cruijff. This name was borne by Johan Cruyff (1947-2016) and his son Jordi Cruyff (1974-), both Dutch soccer players.
Cuvelier French, Walloon, FlemishOccupational name for a Cooper derived from an agent in Old French
cuve "vat tun". Also found in the Netherlands.
Daimes DutchOf Dutch origin, related to surnames
Dames and
Daïmes. Arrived in the United States in the 17th century, where it is most common.
Dapper DutchNickname from
dapper meaning ‘brave, gallant’ in Dutch. Famous bearers of this surname include the American actor and model Marco Dapper (1983-), and Dutch physician and writer Olfert Dapper (1636-1689).
De Beer Dutch, Afrikaans, South AfricanMeans "the bear" or "the boar" in Dutch and Afrikaans, a nickname for a person who resembled the animal in some way, such as being very large, strong, or aggressive, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting one... [
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De Bie DutchMeans "the bee" in Dutch, a nickname for a beekeeper or a for a busy person, or perhaps a habitational name for someone who lived near a sign depicting a bee.
De Bonte DutchMeans "the colourful", from Dutch
bont meaning "motley, multi-coloured; varied, mixed". Probably a nickname for someone known for wearing bright clothing, or perhaps figuratively referring to someone who behaves oddly or unpredictably.
De Boon DutchVariant of
Boon with the etymological element
De, literally 'of (a family called) Boon'.
De Bree DutchMeans "the broad", from Dutch
breed "broad, wide, large", a nickname for someone strong or with a broad build.
De Bruyne Dutch, French, FlemishDerived from Middle Dutch
bruun meaning "brown", referring to hair colour or complexion. A famous bearer is Belgian soccer player Kevin De Bruyne (1991-).
Debye DutchVariant of
De Bie. A notable bearer of the surname was the Dutch-American physicist and physical chemist Peter Debye (1884-1966), born Petrus Debije.
De Caters DutchNickname for someone thought to resemble a tom cat, derived from Middle Dutch
cater,
kater literally meaning "tom cat".
Decatur DutchVariant spelling of
De Caters. A notable bearer was Stephen Decatur (1779-1820), an American naval officer and commodore during the War of 1812, the Barbary Wars and the Quasi-War.
De Geer Dutch, SwedishDerived from the town of Geer near Liège, Belgium. The town lies along the course of the river Jeker, which is called Geer in French. Alternatively, it could derive from Dutch
geer "wedge-shaped piece of land".
De Geus DutchMeans "the beggar" in Dutch, derived from French
geaux "beggar, poor", itself from Middle Dutch
guyte "rascal, rogue, vagabond, freeloader". In many instances, this surname would derive from an association with the
Geuzen ("The Beggars"), a group of Dutch rebels opposing Spanish rule in the Netherlands.
De Goede DutchMeans "the good (person)" in Dutch, a nickname for someone considered especially kind or gentle, or perhaps for someone gullible.
De Goeij DutchFrom Dutch
goei meaning "good", making this a cognate of
Good. A famous bearer is the retired Dutch soccer goalkeeper Eduard de Goeij (1966-), better known as Ed de Goey.
De Goey DutchVariant of
De Goeij. Famous bearers of this name include former Dutch soccer goalkeeper Ed de Goey (1966-) and Australian rules footballer Jordan De Goey (1996-).
De Graaff DutchVariant spelling of
De Graaf "the count", an occupational name for someone who worked for a count, or perhaps a nickname for someone who behaved like one.
De Groeve FlemishEtymology uncertain. Possibly a habitational name from any of several places called
De Groeve, derived from
groeve "quarry, pit; excavated watercourse"... [
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De Hart DutchCan mean "the hart", "the heart", or "the hard", derived from Middle Dutch
hart "male deer, stag" (see
Hart),
harte "heart" (see
Hertz), or
hart "hard, solid, sturdy; harsh, cruel"... [
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De Heer DutchMeans "the lord" or "the gentleman" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch
hêre "feudal lord, master, leader, gentleman". Could be a nickname for a person who acted as a leader, or an occupational name for someone who worked for a lord... [
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De Hoog DutchMeans "the high" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch
hooch "high, tall; important, noble". Either a nickname for a tall person, or for someone who is high in rank or behaves as though they are, or a habitational name from a settlement built on relatively high ground.
De Jager Dutch, South AfricanMeans "the hunter" in Dutch, an occupational name. In some cases, it could derive from the name of a house or ship.
De Laat DutchDerived from Middle Dutch
laet "serf, freed serf, tenant", probably an occupational name for a tenant farmer.
de Laender FlemishPossibly from Middle Dutch
laenre meaning "stone falcon", a kind of small bird of prey such as a merlin or sparrowhawk.
De Leeuw Dutch, FlemishMeans "the lion" in Dutch, a habitational name for someone who lived at a house or tavern with a sign depicting a lion. In some cases, it may have been a nickname denoting a wild or courageous individual.
Delger DutchPossibly an occupational name from an agent derivative of
(ver)delgen, meaning “to nullify” or “to exterminate.”
de Maagd DutchDerived from Middle Dutch
maech, mage "a member of one's kin, a blood relative".
De Man DutchMeans "the man" in Dutch, from Middle Dutch
man "person, man; husband, vassal". Could be a nickname, perhaps to differentiate an older individual (compare
Mann), or a habitational name derived from a house name such as
De Geleerde Man ("The Learned Man") or
De Zwarte Man ("The Black Man").
Den Hartog DutchDerived from Dutch
hertog "duke", a nickname for someone behaved in a haughty manner, or an occupational name for someone who worked for a duke’s household.
Den Ouden DutchMeans "the elder, the senior", from Middle Dutch
out "old".
Den Uijl DutchMeans "the owl" in Dutch, from Middle Dutch
ule. A notable bearer was the Dutch prime minister Johannes den Uijl (1919-1987), also known as Joop den Uyl.
Den Uyl DutchVariant of
Den Uijl, notably borne by the Dutch prime minister Joop den Uyl (1919-1987).
Depooter FlemishVariant of
De Poorter, or alternatively, an occupational name for a farmer or gardener derived from
poten "to plant, to sow seeds". Compare
Potter.
De Praetere FlemishMeans "the prattler", from or related to Middle Dutch
praten "to chatter" (c. 1400), from a Proto-Germanic imitative root.
Deremer DutchOccupational name for a belt maker or cutter of leather straps, from Dutch
riem "belt, strap". It could also be a name for a peat digger, someone who "riems" peat.
De Rijke DutchMeans "the rich one", from Dutch
rijk "rich, wealthy, abundant".
De Rooij DutchMeans "the red", derived from Dutch
rood "red", a nickname for someone with red hair.
De Ruiter DutchMeans "the rider" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch
ruter "freebooter, vagrant, robber", later meaning "cavalryman, soldier, armed horseman". It could also be a nickname based on an event, in one case deriving from an incident involving a ride on a runaway pig.
De Waal Dutch, WalloonMeans "the Walloon" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch
wale, originally indicating a person who came from Wallonia, a French-speaking region of southern Belgium. It could also possibly be a variant spelling of
Van Der Walle and
De Walle meaning "the wall"', though evidence for this is lacking... [
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De Waard DutchFrom Dutch
waard "innkeeper, host, landlord, protector", derived from Middle Dutch
weert. Alternatively, from Middle Dutch
waert "floodplain, riverine island".
De Wilde DutchMeans "the wild", from Middle Dutch
wilt "wild, savage, untamed".
De Winter DutchMeans "the winter" in Dutch, a nickname for a cold or gloomy man, or perhaps for someone born in the winter. It could also be a habitational name referring to a house or tavern named for the season.
De Wolf Dutch, FlemishMeans "the wolf", a nickname given to someone associated with wolves in some way, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a wolf. Could also be a patronymic form of
Wolf.
Dijkhuizen DutchMeans "houses in the dike" in Dutch, derived from
dijk meaning "dike, ditch, levee" and
huizen meaning "houses, settlement", and so indicated a person who lived in a house close to a dyke or embankment.
Distel German, Low German, DutchMeans "thistle" in German and Dutch, a topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of ground overgrown with thistles, or perhaps a nickname for a "prickly" person.
Doldersum DutchFrom the name of a village, derived from
heim "home, settlement" and an uncertain first element.
Donders DutchFrom Dutch
donder meaning "thunder", a nickname for someone loud or boisterous.
Donk DutchMeans "sandy hill" in Dutch, specifically referring to a hill above a marsh or silty area. Element found in several place names.
Donker DutchMeans "dark, dim, somber" in Dutch, a nickname for a person with dark hair or a dark complexion, or perhaps for someone with a gloomy demeanour.