Surname ten Brink - Meaning and Origin

ten Brink: What does the surname ten Brink mean?

The last name ten Brink is an occupational name referring to a person who was a seller, trader, or dealer of tinware. It originated in the Netherlands, likely in the 14th or 15th century when the production of tinware became a major industry. The Dutch language combined the words "tin" and "bruin" (meaning "brown") to create the word tinwerk. This was then combined with the Dutch word "brink" which means "edge" or "boundary," resulting in Tinwerkbrink or Tenbrink, which eventually became Ten Brink.

The ten Brink family is a Netherlands family that traces its ancestry back to the southeast province of Zeeland and the coastal trading town of Eenden. Over the centuries they adopted a number of variations of the family name, such as den Brink and Tromp. According to research, the first known recorded instance of this name can be traced back to Datekt Tromp (born around 1510 ) who lived in the Dutch region of Voorne-Putten.

Members of the ten Brink family, and those with similar surnames, are known to have become sea merchants, traders, scribes, and weavers in Holland. The family name is also associated with clergy, civic offices, and name-holder recognition in various Dutch municipalities.

Today, ten Brink is a fairly common last name in many parts of the world, including the Netherlands, Belgium, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also sometimes shortened to ten or Brink.

ten Brink: Where does the name ten Brink come from?

The last name ten Brink is mostly found in Europe today. Evidence shows that the name is concentrated in the Netherlands but can also be found throughout Germany, Denmark and Belgium.

The current spelling of the last name is usually 'van den Brink' or 'vanden Brink' however older records show the shortened version 'ten Brink' was common in the 1600s and 1700s and is believed to have originated with the family of Willem ten Brink who first used the name in the early 17th century in North Holland, Netherlands.

Today, the name 'van den Brink' is particularly common in the province of Utrecht and may have originated from the small town of Veenendaal located in the same region. It is possible that this relatively small area is the area where the ten Brink family first settled.

Other areas in the Netherlands where the last name ten Brink is common include the Gelderland and North Holland provinces. The last name is also found in Germany, Denmark and Belgium.

Given the high concentration of the last name in the Netherlands, it is likely that ten Brink is primarily a Dutch name with a history of being used for many generations by Dutch families.

Variations of the surname ten Brink

The surname ten Brink has many variants, spellings, and surnames of various origins and languages.

In Dutch, it is spelled den Brinck, De Brinck, van den Brinck, and de Brink. Additionally, Brinck, Van Der Brink, and Brincker are other Dutch variants of the name.

In German, the spelling is usually Van Der Brink, though it can also be spelled Von Der Brinck. This name can also be shortened to Brink or Brinck.

The surname can also be found in quantity in English-speaking countries, with spelling variants such as Ten Brinck, Tinbrink, and Tenbrick.

In the Scandinavian region, Tenbrinck and Tenbring are common spellings that are likely derived from the Dutch variant.

In French, named after the area of France where many Ten Brinks live, the name is usually spelled Denbrin.

Finally, the surname has been Anglicized to Tinbrook, Tinbrooks, Denbrook, Denbrooke, and Tambrink.

All these variants, spellings and surnames may have various origins. However, the surname Ten Brink is derived from the Dutch words 'te' (which translates to 'with', 'by' or 'from') and 'brenk' (derived from the Frisian language that means ‘marsh, wetland, or hill ridge’). The combination of these two words results in the meaning of 'at the marsh or hill ridge'.

Famous people with the name ten Brink

• Max ten Brink: a Dutch radio DJ, known for hosting the radio program 'Maxidag' at NPO 3FM.
• Joost ten Brink: a Dutch artist and sculptor. His works have featured in a number of exhibitions throughout Europe.
• Iwan ten Brink: a Dutch actor, known for his roles in various Dutch films and TV shows, such as Verliefd op Ibiza and Bij de Beesten Af.
• Geert ten Brink: Dutch journalist, author, and former editor-in-chief of the Dutch national newspaper De Volkskrant.
• Cornelis ten Brink: an eminent Dutch philologist and Celtic scholar, known for his translation of early Irish texts.
• Jaap ten Brink: Dutch theoretical chemist and professor at Utrecht University, researching quantum chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, and nanoscience.
• Matthijs ten Brink– Dutch professor of History and Cultural Diversity, having published extensively on the history of multicultural societies.
• Justus ten Brink: a Dutch historian and professor of urban history and sociology, having focused his research on the rise of urbanism in early-modern Europe.
• Peter ten Brink: a Dutch songwriter and keyboardist, best known for his work in the rock band Polle Eduard.
• Marije ten Brink: Dutch professional squash player, having ranked as high as 73rd in the Women's World Squash Rankings.

Other surnames

ten Brinke