Surname Valkenburg - Meaning and Origin
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Valkenburg: What does the surname Valkenburg mean?
The last name Valkenburg is of Dutch origin and has a variety of spellings, including Valckenborg, Valkenburger, and Valkenborgh. The name roughly translates to “falcon fortress” and likely refers to a place name, with the suffix berg meaning “mountain” or “fortress” and the prefix valk meaning “falcon.” The term valk has been used for military defense fortifications since at least the 17th century.
Another suggestion suggests the name comes from a combination of the Dutch words velte and burcht, meaning a fortress made of hides. Velte was used to describe the medieval practice of constructing fortifications from cowhides filled with earth.
The first instance of the name Valkenburg in records dates back to 1582 in the Dutch province of Zeeland, and the first occupant was Willem Cornelisse Valkenborgh. Variants of the name started to appear in other regions during the same century. Today, the name Valkenburg is most concentrated in the Netherlands, where it ranks 1,659th out of 87,855 in population density.
There is a place in the Netherlands called Valkenburg, which is possibly the origin of the surname. The town is known for its limestone hills, castles, thermal baths, watersports, and cable cars. It even served as the official city for Dutch kings and queens from the 16th century until the 19th century.
The surname Valkenburg is still common in the Netherlands today and serves as a reminder of the historic roots of the region. It also links holders of the name to a place of beauty, history, and pride.
Order DNA origin analysisValkenburg: Where does the name Valkenburg come from?
The last name Valkenburg is a Dutch surname, which today is found primarily in the Netherlands and other areas of Dutch influence such as Belgium and Aruba. It is also seen in many Dutch emigrant communities, such as South Africa, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The surname Valkenburg originates from old Dutch words and means "town of falcons". It could also have a literal or metaphorical meaning, since the word "valk" can refer to someone making a swift decision, and "burg" means a fortified dwelling which could be a castle, city, or stronghold. It could be interpreted as someone with a strong, decisive character, someone who takes control in challenging situations.
The highest concentration of Valkenburgs is in the Dutch province of Limburg, particularly along the border with Belgium, where it is the 2nd most common name. In Amsterdam in 2014, Valkenburg was the 11th most common surname with 0.7% of the total population recorded as having it.
In the United States, the total count of Valkenburgs has changed little since the year 2000, where it is recorded as the 15, 205th most common surname with 613 people having it. It is found in a few states in the US, primarily California, New York, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin, although some Valkenburgs have migrated to other states.
Variations of the surname Valkenburg
Valkenburg is a Dutch surname that is derived from a place name which literally translates to mean “Valley of Castles”. It is of toponymic origin, meaning it is derived from the name of a place where a person once lived or owned land. The notable variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin are Vallenburg, Valkenburghe, Valkenberge, and Valkenburgen.
Vallenburg is a variant of the surname Valkenburg that is most commonly found in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. It can be traced back to the Dutch Valkenburg which literally means 'Valley of Castles’, as it was known for its many fortifications.
Valkenburghe is another variant of the same surname which originated in the southern Netherlands in the province of North Brabant. It means ‘the people from the Valley of Castles’.
Valkenberge is a variant of the surname Valkenburg. The ‘berge’ at the end of the name means ‘mountain’ or ‘hill’, so the literal translation is ‘Valley of Castles Mountain’.
Valkenburgen is a variant of the same surname which translates to ‘Valley of Castles People’. It is derived from the Dutch word ‘wijk’ which means ‘people from a certain region or place’.
In summary, the variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin for the surname Valkenburg are Vallenburg, Valkenburghe, Valkenberge and Valkenburgen. All of these surnames have similar meanings, which is derived from the literal translation of ‘Valley of Castles’.
Famous people with the name Valkenburg
- Randal Valkenburg: American lawyer and food technologist
- Thijs Valkenburg: Dutch racing cyclist
- Adolf Valkenburg: Dutch sprint canoer
- Andrew Valkenburg: Irish writer and film and music producer
- Derek Valkenburg: Dutch sculptor
- Maria Valkenburg-van den Brand: Dutch politician
- Robert Valkenburg: Dutch architect
- Tom Valkenburg: Dutch-British jazz saxophonist
- Tjees Valkenburg: Dutch footballer
- Val Valkenburg: Canadian artist and professor