There are more than 320.000 Dutch family names, some of which you’ve most likely heard very often in the Netherlands. Other surnames might seem odd to you once you translate them, while others are unimaginably long. Here’s what you need to know about Dutch last names, from the most common to the longest to the weirdest additions.
Dutch surnames are often found not only in the Netherlands, but around the world too. Some of the typical Dutch names and surnames appear in other countries such as Belgium, South Africa, Australia and the United States from colonisation and emigration patterns - although they are sometimes anglicised. For instance, the Dutch surname Van der Bilt became Vanderbilt, Boienk became Boeing, Nijenhuis became Newhouse.
Surnames began to be commonly used in the Netherlands towards the end of the Middle Ages, mainly among nobles, but spellings could vary widely and it was not uncommon for people to be known by two or more different surnames, or for surnames to change regularly through generations of a family. It was only in 1811, when Napoleon annexed the Netherlands and issued an order for everyone to register their surname, that last names began to be codified and became more static.
Many last names in the Netherlands were based on a person’s job, where they came from or lived (toponym), an identifying characteristic, or by making an alteration to their father’s name to create a last name (patronymic).
There are many last names that you will see time and time again in the Netherlands. These are some of the most common Dutch surnames that appear on birth certificates and their meanings:
While you’ve most likely come across some common Dutch last names among friends, there are also several odd ones. They range from a bit quirky to downright hilarious.
You might hear a funny Dutch surname and think someone is messing with you, but - according to a popular story - it actually goes back to when the Dutch were asked to register their names in the 19th century. Some of them are believed to have chosen comical or offensive surnames as a practical joke on their French occupiers at the time. This story is contested - on the basis that surnames were in wide use in the Netherlands well before Napoleon's annexation - but it's still a good story!
Some weird and funny names include Gekkehuis (madhouse), Naaktgeboren (born naked), Borst (breast or chest), Poepjes (little poos), Piest (to urinate), Spring in ‘t Veld (jump in the field), Zeldenthuis (rarely at home) and Scheefnek (crooked neck). Then there are the last names that almost seem to defy the very purpose of a surname such as Zondervan (without a surname) or Niemands (nobody).
It may not be used any more, but the longest Dutch surname is a whopping 51 characters: van den Heuvel tot Beichlingen gezegd Bartolotti Rijnders. Imagine trying to fit that in on a form when applying for a passport! Directly translated, the name means from the hill to Beichlingen (a village in Germany) said Bartolotti Rijnders.
Now that you’ve dipped a toe into the world of Dutch surnames, you’ll probably notice some of the more unique ones when you come across them. Which last names do you see the most often in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments!