Surname ter Steege - Meaning and Origin
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ter Steege: What does the surname ter Steege mean?
The last name Ter Steege is of Dutch origin and is derived from the old Dutch word meaning "at the pillar". It is thought to have originally been a habitational name, one which was derived from a place named with this distinctive term. This type of name was very popular in the Netherlands, and other countries with Dutch influence, as it denoted someone who lived near a boundary or pillar depicted by a stake. In the old Dutch language, the root phrase of this surname would have sounded like "staal".
The surname Ter Steege was most likely first found in the provinces of Zeeland, Zuid-Holland, and Noord-Holland in the Netherlands. This surname is still quite common today in these Netherlands provinces.
Many bearers of the surname of Ter Steege have emigrated to other parts of the world. This is largely due to the fact that the Netherlands was a very popular destination for migrants in the nineteenth century. Common emigration areas included the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.
Though the original meaning of the surname has been obscured, it is likely that the bearers of the surname have retained a sense of pride in their Dutch heritage. The popularity and meaning of this surname makes it a strong and distinctive name, one suitable for those of many different backgrounds.
Order DNA origin analysister Steege: Where does the name ter Steege come from?
The last name Ter Steege (or van ter Steege) is most commonly found in the Netherlands. It is one of the more common Dutch surnames, ranking in the top 1,000. The name Uitslager is another variation, sometimes used as a patronymic name. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word for an innkeeper.
The Netherlands has had the highest immigration rate into the U.S. per capita since 1996. This means the last name Ter Steege also has a presence in the United States, particularly in coastal areas like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Outside of these locations, the name can turn up in places like California, Florida, and other states where Dutch immigrants settled in the past.
The Ter Steege surname also pops up in other countries. Dutch surname databases list it as being in Suriname, in South America, and there are a few mentions of it in United Kingdom records.
Finding family connections can be especially useful if the last name is rather common, as is the case with Ter Steege. Geni.com lists thousands of Ter Steege relatives with their online family tree community, and many of them have traceable ancestry back to the Netherlands. Other genealogy and ancestry websites can also be helpful, and a few Dutch-based websites exist to serve this purpose.
Variations of the surname ter Steege
Ter Steege is a Dutch surname derived from a toponymic place name. The literal English translation of the surname is “from Steege” which indicates a geographical origin from a Dutch locality. Variants to this surname include Tersteeg, Terstege, Tersteege, Terstegen, Tersteggen, Terstegge, Tersteg, Terstiege, Terstiegen and Steege.
This surname is also sometimes spelled te Steger, te Stegen, te Steege, tee Stege, ter Stegge, ter Steggen and ter Steggge. In the Dutch language, the verb “ter” is often used as an article, a preposition or a particle.
Surprisingly, the surnames that have been derived from Ter Steege are quite diverse. For example, in the Netherlands, the surnames Ter Steeghe, Terstege, Tersteeg and Terstegen, all originated from the same line of the surname. In the U.S., there are the less common variants Steegers and Steggs.
In some regions, the single spelling of Tersteeg was adopted, while in others, “er” was added in front of the original spelling (for example, Ertersteeg, Ertersteeg, Erterstegen). Additionally, in some areas, this surname was recorded in the 17th and 18th centuries with a different spelling (for instance, Ter Steegs, Tersteger, Ter Steger, Te Stege, Terster, Te Stegen).
Finally, this is a surname that has a regional influence; for example, in Friesland and Drenthe, the Eastern part of the Netherlands, the forms Tersteeg and Terstege were more common for the Ter Steege surname.
Famous people with the name ter Steege
- Hugo Ter Steege: Dutch professional football coach
- Solange Ter Steege: Dutch model
- Dick Ter Steege: Dutch professional football player
- Frans Ter Steege: Dutch ice hockey coach
- Harry Ter Steege: Dutch professional handball goalkeeper
- Miloud Ter Steege: Dutch professional football player
- Jeroen Ter Steege: Dutch volleyball player
- Aafke Ter Steege: Dutch professional football player
- Lisette Ter Steege: Dutch professional field hockey goalkeeper
- from Maarssen, Geert Ter Steege: Dutch professional football player