ATENFrisian, Dutch The Frisian name Aten means "Noble Wolf". The name was probably given to lesser lords. As noble would mean nobility. As wolf was always a symbol of a warrior, or hunter. Usually Nobles who were also warriors, were lesser lords... [more]
AUKERMANDutch Americanized form of Dutch ACKERMAN. This was a frequent name in New Netherland in the 17th century.
AXDutch originally French, used to be de Ax, meaning "from Ax", several possible places called Ax or Aix or variants.
BAACKNorth Frisian, Dutch Either from a reduced form of the Germanic personal name Baldeke (a short form of any of the compound names with the first element bald ‘bold’, for example Baldewin) or from Middle Low German baec, bake ‘pork’, ‘bacon’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a butcher or pig farmer.
BARZILAIJDutch, Jewish Dutch 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.
BAUMFREEDutch, American, African American This 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... [more]
BAYEnglish, French, Dutch Derived 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.
BEEREnglish, German, Dutch, German (Swiss) Habitational name from any of the forty or so places in southwestern England called Beer(e) or Bear(e). Most of these derive their names from the West Saxon dative case, beara, of Old English bearu ‘grove’, ‘wood’ (the standard Old English dative bearwe being preserved in Barrow)... [more]
BEETHOVENDutch, Flemish Combination of beeth 'beetroot' and hoven, the plural of Hof, meaning 'farm'. Beethoven is therefore 'beetroot farms'. There is a village named Betthoven in the province of Liège.
BEIJERINGDutch The name Beijering Probably comes from the other but wider spread Dutch surname, Meijering. There is'nt much info I was able to find about both surnames except that there are many diferent forms of the surname like: Beije, Beijerink, Beijeringh, Beijer, Meijer, Meijerink, Meijeringh, etc... [more]
BLANKDutch Dutch and German nickname for a man with white or fair hair or a pale complexion, from Middle Low, Middle High German blanc "bright", "shining", "white", "beautiful", Middle Dutch blank "fair", "white".... [more]
BLANKENBILLERDutch Habitational name from a place called Blankenbijl or similar.
BLASIUSGerman, Dutch, Scandinavian From the Latin personal name Blasius. This was a Roman family name, originating as a byname for someone with some defect, either of speech or gait, from Latin blaesus "stammering" (compare Greek blaisos "bow-legged")... [more]
BLAZERDutch from Middle Dutch blaser ‘blower’, hence an occupational name for a player of the trumpet or other wind instrument, or a nickname for a braggart or boaster
BLEECKERDutch Occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, a launderer, or the owner of a public bleaching ground.
BLEEKERDutch Occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, from Middle Dutch ble(e)kere.
BLEIBERGDutch Habitational name from a place so named in Luxembourg province, Belgium.
BLOODGOODEnglish (American), Dutch (Americanized) Anglicized form of Dutch Bloetgoet. The progenitor of the American Bloodgood family was Francis Bloodgood, a 17th-century Dutch emigrant to Flushing, Queens, New York, originally named Frans Jansen Bloetgoet.
BOOMHOUWERGerman, Dutch Boomhouwer, means "Cutter of Trees", or "The one who hews trees", having Boom translating into "tree", houw meaning to "hew" or to "cut", and er meaning "the one who".... [more]
BOOTEnglish, Dutch, German English: metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of boots, from Middle English, Old French bote (of unknown origin).... [more]
BOOTSEnglish, Dutch, German A variant of BOOT meaning "shoemaker" in English or "boatman" in Dutch or German.
BOOTZDutch A Dutch surname meaning a "nickname for a ridiculous person" or a variant of BOOT
BOWDLERFlemish, English Originally de Boelare it evolved to Bowdler or Bowdle after Baldwin de Boelare came to England in 1105 & was given a lordship over Montgomery, Wales.
BRASDutch, Low German Dutch and North German: from 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.
BRAUNERSHRITHERGerman, Dutch, English This name mean Leather (Tanned) Knight, or a fighter of leather armor, or in Dutch, Leather writer, one who branded print on leather
BRIGGSEnglish, Flemish This surname is a variant of the more common name BRIDGES, which, contrary to appearances, has two possible origins, one the perhaps obvious English topographical or occupational one, and the other locational, from Belgium... [more]
BROOKGerman, Dutch Topographic name for someone who lived by a water meadow or marsh, from Low German brook, Dutch broek (cf. BRUCH).... [more]
BROUWERDutch Dutch occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale, Middle Dutch brouwer.
BROUWERSDutch Possibly means "brewer; brewers" relating to one who brews beer.
BRUGMANDutch, Swiss Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived near a bridge or a metonymic occupational name for a bridge keeper, from Dutch brugge ‘bridge’ (see BRIDGE); in some cases, it is a habitational name for someone from the Flemish city of Bruges (or Brugge), meaning ‘bridges’... [more]
BRUINDutch From a medieval Dutch nickname meaning "brown", from Middle Dutch bruun "brown", making this a cognate of German BRAUN, English BROWN and Italian BRUNO... [more]
BURGEREnglish, German, Dutch Status 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.
CHOATEEnglish, Dutch The names of Choate and Chute are believed to have been of common origin and derived from the residence of their first bearers at a place called Chute in Wiltshire, England. Certain historians, however, state that the name of Choate was of Dutch origin and was taken by its first bearers from their residence at a place of that name in the Netherlands.
CLUTTERBUCKEnglish, Dutch (Anglicized, ?) English surname of unknown origin, possibly a corrupted form of a Dutch surname derived from Dutch klateren "to clatter" and beek "brook". The original surname may have been brought to England by Flemish weavers whom Edward III brought to England in the 14th century to teach their techniques to the English, or by Huguenots who fled the Netherlands in the 16th century to escape religious persecution... [more]
CONKLINIrish, Dutch Origin unidentified. Most likely of Dutch origin (the name is found in the 18th century in the Hudson Valley), or possibly a variant of Irish COUGHLIN.
CRABBEnglish, Scottish, German, Dutch, Danish English and Scottish, from Middle English crabbe, Old English crabba ‘crab’ (the crustacean), a nickname for someone with a peculiar gait. English and Scottish from Middle English crabbe ‘crabapple (tree)’ (probably of Old Norse origin), hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a crabapple tree... [more]
CRANEEnglish, Dutch 1. English: nickname, most likely for a tall, thin man with long legs, from Middle English cran ‘crane’ (the bird), Old English cran, cron. The term included the heron until the introduction of a separate word for the latter in the 14th century... [more]
CRAUWELSFlemish, Dutch, German Derrives from the Middle Dutch (medieval Dutch) word "crauwel" and Middle High German word "kröuwel" which means "flesh hook", "curved fork" or "trident". The word is no longer used. The first person with this name was most likely a farmer, butcher or a person that runned an inn or a hostel that was named after this tool.
DE BONTEDutch Bont is a word to describe something with many colours, originally used for spotted cows. So the name means: The one with many colours. Figuratively speaking this would mean: The one who acts crazy.
DE GEERDutch, Swedish The name is possibly derived from the town of Geer near Liège, Belgium. The town lies along the course of the river Jeker, which is called Geer in French.
DE GOEDEDutch From a nickname meaning "the good" or "the kind".
DE WINTERDutch Nickname for a cold or gloomy man, from Middle Dutch winter 'winter' + the definite article de.
DEWOLFDutch A nickname for one identified with the animal or from a place noted for a sign showing a picture of a wolf. Signs with easily understood pictographs communicated the names of locations in preliterate Europe.
DE ZEEUWDutch Nickname for someone from the Dutch provence Zeeland
DISTELGerman, Low German, Dutch Topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of ground overgrown with thistles, or perhaps a nickname for a "prickly" person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch distel "thistle".
DUYCKDutch Dutch nickname from Middle Dutch duuc ‘duck’; in some cases the name may be a derivative of Middle Dutch duken ‘to dive’ and cognate with Ducker... [more]
DYCKDutch Topographic name for someone who lived by a dike, Dutch dijk. Compare DYKE.
ELENBAASDutch Reinterpretation of Elenbos or Elebaers, from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements alja ‘other’ or agil ‘point or edge (of a sword)’ + berht ‘bright’.
FRANSSENDutch From the given name FRANS and the Dutch woord zoon, meaning son.
FREELINGEnglish, Dutch This is the surname of Christian Freeling (born February 1, 1947 in Enschede, Netherlands)a Dutch game designer and inventor. This surname was also used for the main character "Carol Anne Freeling" in the Poltergeist film of 1982 as well.... [more]
HAGEMANDutch, Swedish Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosure, from Middle Dutch haghe ‘hedge’, ‘enclosure’ + man ‘man’. Respelling of German HAGEMANN... [more]
HAGERDutch, North Frisian From a Germanic personal name composed of hag 'hedge', 'enclosure' + hari, heri 'army'.
HALLÉNSwedish, Dutch Swedish variant of HALL, with the addition of the adjectival suffix -én. Possibly a shortened form of Dutch van der Hallen, a topographic or habitational name from Middle Dutch halle ‘hall.’
HARMSEDutch, Low German The surname Harmse is derived from Harms or Harm, a Low-German / Niederdeutsch surname or name. In Plattdeutsch/Low Saxon the word sine is used as a possessive construction, hence Harmse indicates that it is the child of Harms, Harm, or Harmensze... [more]
HARTMANDutch From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hard "hardy, strong" and man "man".
HAVERBUSYiddish, Dutch From Yiddish/Hebrew Haver (חבר) and Baruch (ברוך), thus literally "blessed friend".
HAYEnglish, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Frisian Scottish and English: topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosure, Middle English hay(e), heye(Old English (ge)hæg, which after the Norman Conquest became confused with the related Old French term haye ‘hedge’, of Germanic origin)... [more]
HAZARDEnglish, French, Dutch Nickname for an inveterate gambler or a brave or foolhardy man prepared to run risks, from Middle English, Old French hasard, Middle Dutch hasaert (derived from Old French) "game of chance", later used metaphorically of other uncertain enterprises... [more]
HECHTGerman, Dutch From Middle High German hech(e)t, Middle Dutch heect, hecht "pike", generally a nickname for a rapacious and greedy person. In some instances it may have been a metonymic occupational name for a fisher and in others it may be a habitational name from a house distinguished by a sign depicting this fish.
HEEDanish, Norwegian, Dutch A Danish habitational name from any of several places named from a word meaning ‘shining’ or ‘clear’, referencing a river.... [more]
HEGEMANDutch Habitational name for someone from a place called Hegge(n) or ter Hegge(n), derived from a word meaning ‘hedge’.
HEINEKENDutch, German Derived from HEIN, a Dutch diminutive of HENDRIK. A famous bearer was Gerard Adriaan Heineken (1841-1893), the founder of the Heineken N.V. brewing company... [more]
HELLWIGGerman, Dutch Curiously it started out life in ancient history as the baptismal name, Hell-wig. "luck" & "war;" this name literally translates to, "battle-battle."
HELMEYERGerman, Dutch, Danish From Hel in Norse mythology and Meyer meaning "higher, superior". It means ´blessed´ or ´holy´. The name is mostly found in Germany, but also in the Netherlands and some parts of Denmark.
HERDDutch Comes from Middle Dutch hert, herte ‘hart’, ‘stag’; probably a nickname for someone who was fleet of foot, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a deer; variant of HEARD.
HEROLDEnglish, Dutch, German From the given name HEROLD. This was the surname of David Herold, one of the conspirators in the Abraham Lincoln assassination plot.
HERRICKDutch From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements heri, hari 'army' + ric 'power', or from an assimilated form of Henrick, a Dutch form of Henry.
HICKDutch From a pet form of a Germanic personal name, such as Icco or Hikke (a Frisian derivative of a compound name with the first element hild "strife", "battle").
HILBERTEnglish, French, Dutch, German English, French, Dutch, and German: from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hild ‘strife’, ‘battle’ + berht ‘bright’, ‘famous’.
HILGERGerman, Dutch From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hild 'strife', 'battle' + gar, ger 'spear'.
HOOGENBOOMDutch Topographic name for someone living by a tall tree, "tall tree", or a habitational name from places called Hoogboom and Hogenboom in the Belgian province of Antwerp, meaning "tall tree".
HOOGLANDDutch A Dutch toponoymic surname meaning 'high land'. A famous bearer of this surname is Duco Hoogland, a Dutch politician.
HOOTDutch, German The Dutch form is a habitation name for someone who lived in the hout or "woods" while the German form hoth is from an occupational name for a maker of hats.
HUCKEnglish, Dutch From the medieval male personal name Hucke, which was probably descended from the Old English personal name Ucca or Hucca, perhaps a shortened form of Ūhtrǣd, literally "dawn-power".
HUITEMADutch The name is believed to come from the Dutch word 'hout', meaning wood. Thus, this was a name often given to woodcutters.
HUMBERTGerman, Dutch, French From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hun "Hun, giant" or hun "bear cub" and berht "bright, famous". This was particularly popular in the Netherlands and North Germany during the Middle Ages as a result of the fame of a 7th-century St... [more]
HUYGENSDutch, Belgian Means "son of HUGO". A notable bearer was Dutch mathematician, physicist and astronomer Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695).
JACOBIJewish, English, Dutch, German From the Latin genitive Jacobi ‘(son) of Jacob’, Latinized form of English Jacobs and Jacobson or North German Jakobs(en) and Jacobs(en).
JANMAATDutch Famous bearer of this surname is Dutch footballer Daryl Janmaat.
JAPENGADutch Means son of Jap "Yap" related to Jacobson in the Netherlands
KENTIEScottish, English, Dutch Origin and meaning unknown. The name Kentie was spread in the Netherlands when a Scottish soldier, Alexander Kenti, settled at Woudrichem, the Netherlands around 1650. Alexander Kenti was born and raised in the Scottish highlands... [more]
KESLERGerman, Dutch, Jewish It is an occupational name that means coppersmith. In alpine countries the name derived from the definition: the one living in the basin of a valley.
KESSELDutch Habitational name for someone originally from any of the various locations in the Netherlands named Kessel.
KEURIGDutch Keurig is "derived from" a Dutch word meaning "excellence." A more accurate translation from the Dutch is "neat" or "tidy."
KIELDutch Dutch from Middle Dutch kidel, kedel ‘smock’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who make such garments or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore one. Also a dutch habitational name from a place so named in Antwerp or from the German city Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein.
KINDutch Nickname for someone with a pointed or jutting chin.
KINDEnglish, German, Jewish, Dutch German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) from Middle High German kint, German Kind ‘child’, hence a nickname for someone with a childish or naive disposition, or an epithet used to distinguish between a father and his son... [more]
KNICKERBOCKERDutch (Anglicized) Americanized spelling of the Dutch occupational name Knickerbacker "marble baker", i.e., a baker of children's clay marbles. This lowly occupation became synonymous with the patrician class in NYC through Washington Irving's attribution of his History of New York (1809) to a fictitious author named Diedrich Knickerbocker... [more]
KRANEDutch, Low German Dutch: nickname for a long-legged or tall thin man, from Middle Dutch crane ‘crane’. ... [more]
KROLLGerman, Dutch, Polish Nickname for someone with curly hair, from Middle High German krol 'curly', Middle Low German krulle 'ringlet', 'curl', Middle Dutch croel, crul (apparently a loanword from German)... [more]
LANGHORNEnglish, Danish, Dutch Northern English: probably a habitational name from a minor place in Soulby, Cumbria, called Longthorn, from Old English lang ‘long’ + horn ‘projecting headland’, or a topographic name with the same meaning.... [more]
LEDGEREnglish, Norman, French, Dutch English: from a Norman personal name, Leodegar, Old French Legier, of Germanic origin, composed of the elements liut ‘people’, ‘tribe’ + gar, ger ‘spear’... [more]
LEMSDutch "It is said that long ago there was a river in Holland named 'Lems'. Since then the river has dried up, but those who lived around the river were given the surname of 'Lems'.