Surname vander maeten - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
vander maeten: What does the surname vander maeten mean?
The surname Vander Maeten in its basic form translates as “of or from the meet”, which is a technical term from Dutch law that literally refers to a borderstone. Essentially, the name in origin was used to designate someone from a specific piece of land, most likely part of a manor or estate in the Low Countries.
The name dates back to at least the 17th century in the Netherlands, and it would be assumed that the family was likely of the upper classes as the family would have had lands that required the presence of a borderstone to mark its division from the surrounding lands.
The roots of the name lie in the Dutch word “maeten”, which itself comes from an old Germanic word “maten” which is used to refer to a meeting or junction of two parcels of land. The addition of “van der” to the name (meaning, “from the”) signifies that the person comes from the place where the borderstone stands.
Thus, the surname Vander Maeten would have signified a family of some influence in the past, likely even moreso today in countries where the surname is widespread. It also stands as an enduring sign of the strength of the Dutch language, as much of the original meaning of the name has been kept intact for hundreds of years.
Order DNA origin analysisvander maeten: Where does the name vander maeten come from?
The last name Vander Maeten is common today in parts of Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany, particularly in the northern and western regions of those countries. In Belgium, or ‘the Low Countries’, Dutch surnames like Vander Maeten were first used in the 12th century. The region was a major port of trade along the northern coast, and names reflecting this were adopted by a variety of people, including immigrants from other parts of Europe.
Vander Maeten is a shortened form of ‘van de Maeten’ , which literally translates to ‘from the Maetens.’ The Maetens were a group of farmers from the Dutch region of Drenthe who moved to Flanders in the early 13th century in search of more land and better wages. It is believed that the last name was the adopted family surname of the men who moved from Drenthe.
Today, the last name is used throughout Europe’s Dutch-speaking countries. It can still be found in Flanders and Drenthe, but is also very common in the Netherlands, especially in the northern and western parts. In France, the last name is more rare, but can still be found in some areas, particularly in the north. And in Germany, this last name is also found in places like North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Variations of the surname vander maeten
Vander Maeten is a Dutch surname originating from the Netherlands. It usually consists of two words, ‘Vander’ and ‘Maeten’, with the prefix ‘van der’ meaning ‘of the’ or ‘from the’. Common variants of this surname include ‘van der Maaten’, ‘van de Maat’, ‘Vander Maat’, ‘Vander Maten’, and ‘Van der Meijden’.
In addition to the above-mentioned variants, the surname also has different spellings. These include ‘Vander Maten’, ‘Vandemaat’, ‘Vandermaaten’, ‘Vandermaat’, and ‘Vandermaten’.
Surnames of the same origin as Vander Maeten often derive from the nearby Dutch province of Overijssel, like ‘Vander Maatendam’ and ‘Vander Maatenburg’. These family names are derived from the regions these people originally lived in or were related to. The ‘Maatendam’ and ‘Maatenburg’ extension refers to rivers or sites near those regions.
Furthermore, growers of Maatennappels (Maatennapple), a fruit variety that originated in the Netherlands, could have adopted the surname ‘Maatennapple’ or ‘Metenapple’. Other related surnames include ‘van Maaten’, ‘van Maat’, and ‘Materman’.
The surname ‘Vander Maeten’ is related to many other family names and has a rich history in the Netherlands. Although it is typically spelled with two words, its many variants and spellings demonstrate the fluidity in how a family name can be written and pronounced.
Famous people with the name vander maeten
- Lesley Vander Molen: Singer and songwriter
- Walther Vander Molen: Dutch poet
- Remi Vander Molen: Dutch musician
- Gerrit Vander Molen: Dutch sailor
- Pieter Vander Molen: Dutch Architect
- Berendina Vander Molen: Dutch artist
- Janneke Vander Molen: Dutch athlete
- Lieuwe Vander Molen: Dutch artist
- Hidde Vander Molen: Dutch musician
- Adriana Vander Molen: Dutch actress