Surname Tersteeg - Meaning and Origin
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Tersteeg: What does the surname Tersteeg mean?
The last name Tersteeg is of Dutch or German origin. It is derived from the nickname 'ter steege', meaning 'by the stile', which is a simple protective structure used by livestock or people in a field, normally made of wood or stone. This suggests a role in farming or agriculture at some point in one's family history.
In German the name is spelled 'Terstiege' and it was used by the Dutch and German Protestants. However, the last name could be found in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. It is thought to have come from the small town of Steeg, located in the province of Limburg, which was part of the Remigiusland, a region in the Netherlands.
The name Tersteeg can be generally translated as 'at (or near) the stile'. It likely originated from the Dutch or German word 'ter', meaning 'at', followed by 'steege', meaning 'stile'. It is likely that Tersteeg was the name of a location near a stile gate, such as a farm, of which many existed in rural Europe. Alternatively, it could refer to an individual who lived by a stile gate.
The origin of the name Tersteeg is linked to pastoral life in rural areas of Northern Europe, and the many fields where livestock were kept and managed. It is likely the surname was a marker of origin, conferring identity and connecting the individual to their rural roots.
Order DNA origin analysisTersteeg: Where does the name Tersteeg come from?
The last name Tersteeg is mainly found in the Netherlands today. This surname likely comes from the Dutch origins of the family, as it is one of the most common surnames in the country. It is particularly popular in the provinces of Zeeland and South Holland, primarily concentrated around the cities of Breda, Capelle, and Rotterdam.
The name itself is quite old and has roots in the Middle Ages, being derived from medieval Dutch names ending in "steeg". It literally translates to "of the street" as "te" means "of the" in Dutch. Other spellings of this surname include Tersteegen, T'Steeg and Taersteeg, among others.
The Tersteegs in the Netherlands today can be largely divided into two distinct historical families: Tersteegen and T'Steeg. The Tersteegen family traces its roots back to Aashin Tersteegen (17th century) and were established in the town of Goedereede in Zeeland. This family name grew to include many branches in the province and is expertly documented in the Netherlands by the Tersteeg Genootschap.
The T'Steeg family, on the other hand, originated in the 17th century from the manor of Eversdijk near Rotterdam. This branch of the Tersteeg family was highly influential in the business and political circles of the Netherlands in the 18th-19th centuries, with many noted figures in the Dutch patent system. Nevertheless, both branches of the Tersteeg family were popular in the Netherlands and frequently intermarried.
Thus, the last name Tersteeg is heavily concentrated in the Netherlands today, having a long and successful history in the country for centuries. It is still a popular name in the Netherlands, with many people bearing the Tersteeg name in Zeeland and South Holland provinces.
References:
1. Tersteeg, Adri. "Family Name - TERSTEEG (T' Steeg en Tersteegen)". Website of the Tersteeg Genootschap. January 9, 2019. https://www.tersteeggenootschap.nl/en/familyname/
2. Butler, Eric. "T'Steeg." DutchGenealogy. December 11, 2014. https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/tsteeg/
3. Bleekemolen, Johannes. "Tersteeg & Van Rossum." TersteegVanRossum. April 16, 2017. http://www.tersteegvanrossum.nl/
Variations of the surname Tersteeg
The surname Tersteeg has a few different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant of Tersteeg is Teresch. This name is derived from the Frisian language and it means “hard or solid stone”. Other common variants are Terstegge, Terstegen, and Terstege.
Other spelling variations include Terstieg, Terstiege, and Tersterg. All of these spellings are also derived from the Frisian language.
Surnames of the same origin as Tersteeg include Teresch, Terstegen, Terstege, Terstieg, Terstiege, Tursteg, and Terstegge. It is possible that some of these surnames may have originated from other countries outside of the Frisian region.
Tersteeg is the primary spelling and name of the family which has been found in Germany since the 1500s. This was a very popular name in the 16th and 17th centuries in the Utrecht, Gelderland,Overijssel, and Drenthe regions of the Netherlands.
The Tersteeg name is also found outside of Germany and the Netherlands. In the United States, it is mainly concentrated in the states of New York, California, and Texas. The name is also found in Canada, Australia, and England.
Many branches of the Tersteeg family have spread across the world, and due to the numerous spellings and surnames, it’s easy to lose track of them. If you are researching your Tersteeg family, be sure to consider all the possible variants and surnames of the same origin when exploring your family tree.
Famous people with the name Tersteeg
- Gerrit Tersteeg: Dutch sculptor and medalist.
- Johannes Tersteeg: Dutch-American painter and etcher.
- Karel Johannes Tersteeg: Dutch author and poet.
- Wilhelm Tersteeg: German architect.
- Lilian Tersteeg: Dutch singer and recording artist.
- Roelof Tersteeg: Dutch journalist and editor.
- Thomas Tersteeg: German politician.
- Trevor Tersteeg: American film producer.
- Jan Tersteeg: Dutch musicologist and organologist.
- Frits Tersteeg: Dutch journalist and newspaper editor.