Dutch names can be very long. Usually the maximum number of names one person has is five, but that can vary by person. It can get really ridiculous; especially the names that belong to the royal family. Take a look at this royal’s name: Willem Alexander Frederik Constantijn Nicolaas Michiel, Prins der Nederlanden, Prins van Oranje-Nassau. In English, this would be: William Alexander Frederick Constantine Nicholas Michael Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau. Yeah, no joke.
If you look closely at the origins of Dutch names, you’ll see that many of them have Germanic origins. This isn’t surprising considering that the Dutch have a long history with Germanic tribes stemming from the pre Mediaeval period.
In terms of last names, the origins of last names can fall into several types of categories. Some last names give clues about an ancestor’s place of geographic location. For example, some Dutch last names contain “van” which can mean “of” or “from.” So a name like Willem van Oranje will be William of Orange in English.
There are also last names that indicate an ancestor’s occupation. A surname of Smit could mean that this person’s family belonged to a family of blacksmiths. This could also stand true for those with last names pertaining to animals. Someone with a last name “Vogels” could have belonged to a family tending to birds. However, surnames with animals could also belong to the category of surnames refering to physical appearnce. Someone with a last name of Vogels could have had a beak-like nose. It makes you wonder, what would a surname like De Groot mean? De Groot means “the big one”. Is that in reference to height, weight? I was going to make a dirty joke here, but never mind.
Some Dutch surnames can sound awfully pretenious. Names like De Koninck (king) attest to this category. Some are very humorous like Naaktgeboren, which literally means “born naked”. This goes back to the time when Napoleon annexed the Netherlands. When the Dutch went to register their names in the national census, they made up riduculous names in protest.
In addition, many Dutch children have both a doopnaam or a Christian name and a roepnaaam or the name that they are called at home. The Christian name would usually be named after saints. After WWII, foreign names like Maikol or Michael were also popular.
I’m gonna end this post by asking the readers of this blog, what is your Dutch name?
Comments:
Hielkje Klok:
Nederlands Naam Hielkje Jeltje Klok
Sebastiaan Eldritch-Böersen:
My Dutch name – doopnaam – is Sebastiaan, whereas my name at home – roepnaam – is either Basti, or Seb, and elsewhere I get called Beau, shortened from Beaumont, which is my middle name.
AJ:
“In addition, many Dutch children have both a doopnaam or a Christian name and a roepnaaam or the name that they are called at home. The Christian name would usually be named after saints.”
IMO, you ought to have said that many Dutch people have a ‘voornaam’ (first name), usually a middle name, sometimes several, as well as a ‘roepnaam’ (nickname).
I don’t think there are that many kids getting baptized anymore and any way their ‘doopnaam’ (Christian name) is the same as same as their first name(s) and those are not necessarily Saints’ names. You forget that many Dutch churchgoers are Protestants, and they wouldn’t be caught dead with the name of any Catholic saint. Even if they used such a name that would be because the kid was named for a familymember and not for any religious reason.
Oh, and to answer your question, my first (as well as Christian) names are Aaltje Jantiena. You can’t get it any Dutcher than that, now, can ye?
And my ‘roepnaam’ is Alja, a combination of two letters each from my first and middel names.
Anneke de Rooij:
Hello!
My name is Anneke de Rooij. When my mum (Australian) married my Dad, she tried to do some family-tree research but apparently the de Rooij clan wasn’t too good at keeping records. I’m not even sure what it means. Anyone?
C Bakker:
Probably coming from “de Rooie” or “de Rode” which means the red one, most likely refering to read hair
Paul:
My last name is Strootman. Any insight into that name? It’s popular in the town of Gronigan in northern Netherlands.
Ken Moesker:
I’ve been searching far and wide for some insight into the origins of the name Moesker. If anyone has any ideas, I would greatly appreciate it.
Anneke de Rooij:
Ken Moesker, this may be a long shot but maybe your name refers back to the Moesel river which runs through Germany? I have heard of family names which refer to the person as being originally from a certain area.
I. Hofstede-Mayor:
Hi to all and Anneke de Rooij,
My Grandfather Dirk Peiter Hofstede married an Annigje de Rooij. I have some cousins who are currently looking through names. The meaning “red hair” would be suitable, she was a red head and thus my sister also.
Would like to know what Hofstede really means though. Someone once mentioned “peat farmer” – does this sound correct?
Nicole Nicolaas:
nederland Nicolaas
sarah:
Ok, sorry for the late reply, it took me a little bit of research and help from a Dutch native speaker to find out the meaning of hofstede. A hofstede is the name of a fairly large, wealthy farm/manor house, similar to the Spanish haciendas but a bit smaller. It shouldn’t have anything to do with peat or peat farming, especially since peat farmers were very poor. Modern Dutch words including the word “hof” are hof: a royal court or household, hofdame: lady-in-waiting, hoffelijk: courteous, polite, and hofnar: court jester, fool. Hope that helps!
Brett de Hayr:
Hello – we have always understood that our name was French – but a futher look has indicated it may be Dutch – if anyone had some further information, it would be greatly appreciated.
moesker:
i have heard moesker translates to a person back when names were created who sold veggies in the city that he grew at home
Bo Stijntjes:
hello,
my name is Bo Stijntjes..?? anyone??
moesker:
are steintjes not small stones??
Jaron Nyhof:
Might anyone have any insights into the meaning of the name Nyhof? I think its an Americanized version of Nijhof. “Hof” appears to mean “court,” but I can’t find a translation for “nij.”
Hayley de Rooy:
Anneke de Rooij, my last name is de Rooy which was originally de Rooij but changed when my grandparents moved to Australia. I have always heard that its meaning was something to do with ‘the royal’ or ‘the king’. But i have been looking into it and cant find a definite meaning.
Linnea Denis:
would love to hear from anyone who knows the anglizid version of the following names: Sieger, Arian, Egbert, Peterje-female (I understand that je is an endearment)Melb-female-I am doing research and these are family names thanks
Georgina:
My full name as you find it in my passport is: Gerarda Cornelia Maria Schilders
Gerarda, Cornelia and Maria being given to me when I wad baptised. Gerarda in reference to my granddad at my dad’s side whose name was Gerard. Cornelia in reference to my grandmother at my mum’s side whose name was Cornelia. And Maria as I was raised Catholic.
Schilders is my last name. It literally means ‘painters’ and is quite limited in use to the south of The Netherlands. You see the last name in singular form (Schilder) a lot in Volendam but not related at all.
My “Roepnaam” is not in my passport at all, it’s Georgina. Which is not making my case any easier because it gets changed a lot in daily use too 🙂
English speakers call me Georgi. Dutch speaker call me Sjors or Sjorsje. The southern Dutch (or Flemish) version is Sjorske.
esther:
Arian is a very common name from the village I come from, Spakenburg. Arian these days would be Arjan, or Arjen. A lot of females in my village were named after male ancestors, the -tje is not always meant as a diminutive.
My name is Evertje (doopnaam, baptize name, but my roepnaam is Esther and that what I have always been called. It has not always been handy 😉
Evert was the male name.
My mom’s name is Hendrikje, Hendrik was the male version.
There is many more: Willempje-Willem, Klaas-Klaasje, Jaap-Jaapje, Jan-Jannetje, Peter-Petertje
Charles Den-Baars:
My last name is den Baars. Living in America most people can’t pronounce or spell it correctly, though it is more simple than some i have seen. It has to do with fish as in bass (or perch as some books say) As far as i know from family history the family lived in Schoonhoven during the 1600’s. And my Opa was born near Katwijk aan Zee. Our family has Americanized the name a litte bit i spell it with a capital d and use a hyphen Den-Baars or people think my middle name is Dan, and that i have miss-spelled Dan, or they even call me Dan instead of my name Charles. And Baars… wow, the double a throws most people off, and they say ba-airs, boors, beers, or dozens of others miss-spelled or wrong pronunciations i have heard since i was a kid. So spelling it this way is what customs officials told my Dad to do he said
Pam:
finally I understand why my Dutch boyfriend has 4 names on his passport but the name he goes by is different than all of them! 🙂
Rose Furlow:
My Dutch name is Rosette Jeanette Marie Levie my nickname is Rollie in Dutch and Rose in America I have a daughter named Jeanette Marie Esther Her American Nickname is Jenny. we are named after family members and friends.
Ron:
my name is Ronald Jan den Hollander
Georgina:
My doopnamen are Gerarda Cornelia Maria (I am Catholic). But my roepnaam is Georgina. Which is often shortened to Georgi or George. Or the Dutch version: Sjors. My surname is Schilders. Which means painters an I favour the artist kind over the home decoratie kind 😉
Ken Kopp:
My grandmother’s maiden name was Beatrice Vogel. Both her grandfather and great grandfather were named Abraham Vogel and came from Holland. We have found no records but we believe that the name is Jewish. Is Vogel (always) a Jewish name in the Netherlands?
Tessa Marcus Erickson:
All of my ancestry are from Friesland, Groningen and Ostfriesland in Germany. We have one strand of ancestors from Zeeland and their name was Oranje. The had that surname back as far as the 1640’s. Long before Napoleon demanded every one to have a surname in 1811. Could this be minor nobility? Also my mother’s maiden name was Tazelaar. And her mothers maiden name was Sinke (Americanized to Sankey). Any one know what those names mean? Thanks!
Andrea:
Hi All
I’m struggling to find the meaning of my surname De Jaap
I’m South African and haven’t found many other South Africans with the same surname and I just like to know a bit more about my family’s origin
Michael Platje:
My name is Michael Douwe Platje and was born in New Zealand. My father is from Friesland and his name is Anne Douwe Platje. He changed his 1st name to Arn for obvious reasons 🙂