Surname van der Meulen - Meaning and Origin
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van der Meulen: What does the surname van der Meulen mean?
The surname “Van der Meulen” is derived from Dutch origins and literally translates as “from the mills.” This surname is indicative of someone who was from an area surrounded by, or even built around, a mill (molen). It is believed to most likely refer to those who once lived and worked in those mill communities. Historically, this type of environment was especially common in Holland where Van der Meulen originated from.
It is possible that the first settlers with this surname may have been millers or owners of a mill. This would also explain the use of the word “Meulen” which refers to a mill. It is likely that this work was the primary source of income for the family and could have been passed down through the generations.
Beyond the original origin of the surname, the Dutch have spread out and taken the “Van der Meulen” to other countries. It is now more common in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The presence of the name in these countries is a testament to how far the Dutch diaspora has spread and how many countries now have members of the Van der Meulen family.
Regardless of where the surname originated, it is clear to see why the name has been passed down through the generations. The “Van der Meulen” family still holds the legacy of their miller ancestry close and it is likely to remain part of their identity for a long time to come.
Order DNA origin analysisvan der Meulen: Where does the name van der Meulen come from?
The last name van der Meulen is most commonly found in the Netherlands and the Flemish region of Belgium today. The Dutch language is the most spoken language in these areas, and the last name is an indicator of Dutch heritage. It is also an indicator of regional heritage, as ‘van der’ is a Dutch variant of ‘from the’ – indicating a more localized origin from a place or family.
Van der Meulen is a quite popular last name in the Netherlands, particularly in the areas of Gelderland, Overijssel, Zeeland, South Holland and North Holland and the Flemish region of Belgium.
It is derived from the word ‘meulen’ which refers to a mill. This could refer to a family who lived in or near a mill or may have owned a mill in the past, or could refer to an ancestor who was involved in milling or other related activities.
In England, the last name van der Meulen is slightly less common, but can still be found in some areas. According to the 1881 UK census, the Van der Meulen name was particularly popular in the county of Surrey.
Today, a variety of members of the van der Meulen family, from diverse cultural backgrounds, can be found living in the Netherlands, Belgium and England.
Variations of the surname van der Meulen
Van der Meulen is a Dutch toponymic surname meaning "from the Mills". Variants of this surname include: Vandermeulen, Van De Meulen, Van der Molen, Vandermolen, Vande Meulen, Van den Molen, ver Meulen, de Meulen, van Molen, van der Mole, Vande Mole, Van den Mole, van der Millen, Vande Millen, Van den Millen and van Molen.
Some of the name bearers can be found in the Netherlands but this Dutch surname is also prominent in Belgium. It is also found widely in the United States, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, and Australia.
Variations in the spelling of the name were caused by a lack of the standard form of surnames. During the Middle Ages, most names were not yet fixed and were spelled differently, as they sounded. In the Netherlands, names ending with -en are often assumed to be patronymic, meaning the name is descended from the father's given name.Name variations were also introduced into their American descendants due to phonetic spelling.
Van der Meulen is an ancient surname, being one of the oldest in the Netherlands and still present among Dutch-speaking families. It is believed to have originated from the Dutch noble family of Van der Meulen and/or from Middle Dutch words 'melen', 'molen' which means "to push", "to mill" and "mills".
Famous people with the name van der Meulen
- Lieke van der Meulen: Dutch professional handball player.
- Joost van der Meulen: Dutch footballer.
- Frank van der Meulen: Dutch former professional footballer and currently a football manager.
- Jaap van der Meulen: Dutch sculptor.
- Saskia van der Meulen: Dutch professional dancer.
- Houke van der Meulen: Dutch footballer.
- Joep van der Meulen: Dutch professional golfer.
- Bastiaan van der Meulen: Dutch professional cyclist.
- Péter van der Meulen: Dutch-Israeli painter.
- Luise van der Meulen: German opera singer.
- Arnold van der Meulen: Dutch serial killer.
- André van der Meulen: Dutch-South African professional footballer.
- Cor van der Meulen: Dutch footballer.
- Willem van der Meulen: Dutch composer and organist.
- Herman van der Meulen: Dutch rower.
- Y. van der Meulen: Netherlands psychiatrist and writer.
- Harry van der Meulen: Dutch racing cyclist.
- Ton van der Meulen: Dutch footballer and coach.
- Yvonne van der Meulen: Dutch singer.
- Dennis van der Meulen: Dutch drummer.