Surname van der Kreeft - Meaning and Origin
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van der Kreeft: What does the surname van der Kreeft mean?
Van der Kreeft is a Dutch toponymic surname that originated in the Netherlands. It translates literally to "from/of the turnip" and is derived from a geographical feature or landmark. In this case, Kreeft is the Dutch word for “turnip”. It is likely that the family originated from somewhere near a prominent turnip field.
At one point, about two-thirds of the population of the Netherlands used patronymic surnames and the van der Kreeft family was one of them. Patronymic surnames are very particular to the Dutch and it is thought that they used them in order to designate each other as family members.
The surname is popular throughout the Netherlands and Belgium but is not common in countries outside of Europe. While the term “Van Der” in most other languages is typically used to designate nobility, this is not usually the case in the Netherlands, where the term is used to designate more of a family heritage than anything else.
Van der Kreeft is a surname with a rich history and it has been around for centuries. It originated in the Netherlands and it is a patronymic surname that is derived from the Dutch word for turnip. It is not often used outside of Europe, but those who do bear the surname of van der Kreeft can trace their roots back to a prominent turnip field.
Order DNA origin analysisvan der Kreeft: Where does the name van der Kreeft come from?
The last name van der Kreeft is most commonly found in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is particularly prevalent in the provinces of North Holland, South Holland, and Zeeland in the Netherlands and the provinces of East Flanders, West Flanders, and Antwerp in Belgium. The name is indicative of Dutch and Flemish ancestry, and it is likely that its bearers are descendants of those who built the dikes and channels that protected farmland in earlier centuries.
The last name van der Kreeft is derived from the Dutch word 'kreeft,' meaning 'crab.' Early versions of this last name typically included an additional 'van der' preface, likely depicting a profession or saying which in Dutch translates to "one of the crabs." This could be a reference to fishermen who specialized in catching crabs, or to a person who owned or worked with crab fishing traps. This Dutch last name is most likely of toponymic origin, meaning that it originally referred to the place of origin of the first bearers of the surname.
Today, van der Kreeft remains a common surname in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is a popular and well-known Dutch-Flemish name, and you may find people with this name in countries all over the world that have large Dutch or Flemish diaspora populations.
Variations of the surname van der Kreeft
Van der Kreeft is a Dutch surname which is typically found in the Netherlands and in Netherlands former colonies. It is occasionally anglicized to Vanderkreef, Vanderkroft, Van Derkroft, Vankroft or Van der Kraaft.
The origin of the Van der Kreeft surname dates back to circa 1200, with van der Kreeft meaning "from the crabby tree." It is likely derived from the Middle Dutch word/name krefte, which was a tree of some kind found near water. The prefix van der indicates that the tree was located near the original bearer of the surname.
Van der Kreeft appears to be one of the oldest Dutch surnames originating from the Low Countries, and by extension may originally have Germanic origins, most likely having pre-dated the French occupation of the Low Countries.
Variants of Van der Kreeft are ver Kreeft, Crift, Kreeft, Krift, Croft, Kraft, and Krakt.
The name Van der Kreeft is found throughout the Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam alumni list, indicating that the surname is still prevalent in the Netherlands today. While still quite rare, Van der Kreeft ancestry is well-known in relationships, business, and religion in the Netherlands, especially among the Dutch Reform Church.
In conclusion, Van der Kreeft is a common surname in the Netherlands that dates back centuries. Its variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include ver Kreeft, Crift, Kreeft, Krift, Croft, Kraft, and Krakt, and it is still in use today.
Famous people with the name van der Kreeft
- Wilhelmina Maria van der Kreeft (Dutch swimmer)
- Klaas van der Kreeft (Dutch sculptor)
- Caspar van der Kreeft (Dutch Film maker)
- Wouter van der Kreeft (Dutch Footballer)
- Harm van der Kreeft (Dutch Linguist)
- Johannes Jacobus van der Kreeft (Former Ducth Member of Parliament)
- Annelies van der Kreeft (Dutch Pop Singer)
- Joke van der Kreeft (Dutch Painter)
- Koolman van der Kreeft (Dutch Designer)
- Gerard van der Kreeft (Dutch Unicyclist)
- Erwin van der Kreeft (Dutch Actor)
- Eric van der Kreeft (Dutch Olympic Shooter)
- Joost van der Kreeft (Dutch Discus Thrower)
- Sarah van der Kreeft (Dutch YouTuber)
- Christel van de Kreeft (Dutch Beauty Queen)
- Joost van der Kreeft (Dutch Caterpillar Driver)
- Mariëlle van der Kreeft (Dutch Water Polo Player)
- Pieter van der Kreeft (Dutch Composer)
- Jan van der Kreft (Huis Doorn Steward)