Surname van Valkenburgh - Meaning and Origin

van Valkenburgh: What does the surname van Valkenburgh mean?

Van Valkenburgh is a Dutch toponymic surname, meaning someone who originally lived near or hailed from a town called Valkenburg, usually in the Netherlands. The area known as Valkenburg is primarily located in the south of the country, in the province of Limburg, as well as in parts of Belgium.

The place name Valkenburg likely dates back to the middle ages. It is derived from the Dutch words "valk" meaning "falcon" and "burg" meaning "castle". Thus, the name itself likely originates from the prevalence of falconry in the area, or perhaps a castle which was at one time the center of the community.

The origins of those bearing this surname are believed to be of Dutch descent, though there is some record of the name in France, Germany, and Belgium. People with the van Valkenburgh variant of the surname likely lived in towns within the region of Valkenburg prior to emigrating to other countries during the era of mass migrations due to religious, economic, and political unrest.

Today, those bearing the van Valkenburgh surname can be found all over the world, most notably the United States and the Netherlands. The commonwealth of Massachusetts, in particular, is home to a large population of van Valkenburghs, though numbers drop off significantly elsewhere in the region.

van Valkenburgh: Where does the name van Valkenburgh come from?

The last name van Valkenburgh originates from the Netherlands and is still most common in that region. In Holland, it is somewhat of a rare family name, with about 13,000 people carrying the name.

The van Valkenburgh surname can also be seen in other parts of the world like Canada, the United States, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the van Valkenburgh family name is mostly found in the Midwest and New England area states such as Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania.

In Canada, the van Valkenburgh surname is mostly found in the Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta provinces, with small but known populations in Quebec.

In South Africa, the van Valkenburgh surname is mainly seen in the cities of Pretoria, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, with a small percentage residing in the rural areas.

In the United Kingdom, the van Valkenburgh family name mainly resides in London and the Glasgow area of Scotland.

Although it is not a very common name worldwide, those who bear the van Valkenburgh surname can take great pride in their Dutch heritage. The family been traced back for hundreds of years and is a proud reminder of the Dutch culture and it roots in the past.

Variations of the surname van Valkenburgh

Van Valkenburgh is a Dutch and German surname, derived from the place name ‘Valkenburg’. It is similar to the surname Valkeberg and variations exist in many countries. In the US, Van Valkenburgh has also been altered to Valkenbarger, Valkenburg, Valkenburgher and Vollkenburg. In some cases, the surname Valke (or variants) was adopted as a name derived from the original Dutch Van Valkenburgh.

The Dutch spelling is generally written as Van Valkenburch, or Valkenburg, or Valkenburch, and the German spelling is written as Valkenberger. The name can also be found in Finland in two forms, as Valkenburg and Valkeberg. In France, the name is typically written as Valckenbourg and Van Valkenborgh. In the Czech Republic, it is Valkemberg.

In the UK, the surname can also be found as Valkeburg and Van Valkeburg, or Falkenburg and Van Falkenburg. In Ireland, the name is usually written as Valkenburg or Falkeburg and in Sweden, it is Van Valkberg. In Denmark, it is usually written as Velkenburg.

In summary, the various spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Van Valkenburgh include Van Valkenburch, Valkenburg, Valkenburch, Vollkenburg, Valke, Valkenberger, Valkenburg, Valkeberg, Valckenbourg, Van Valkenborgh, Valkemberg, Valkeburg, Van Valkeburg, Falkenburg, Van Falkenburg, Valkenburg, Falkeburg, Van Valkberg, and Velkenburg.

Famous people with the name van Valkenburgh

• Fred VanValkenburgh: Fred VanValkenburgh is an American actor best known for his roles in True Blood, Saving Grace, and NCIS.
• Andre van Valkenburgh: Andre van Valkenburgh is a Dutch entrepreneur and Peter Thiel Fellow who founded the company Madwalk which developed affordable and accessible 3D printers.
• Nate VanValkenburgh: Nate VanValkenburgh is a professional mixed martial artist, competing in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
• Johannes Van Valkenburgh: Johannes Van Valkenburgh was a seventeenth century Dutch surveyor and cartographer.
• Paul VanValkenburgh: Paul VanValkenburgh is the Twentieth Century Fox Chair in Visual Effects and Professor in the Computer Science Department at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
• Kay VanValkenburgh: Kay VanValkenburgh is an American acting teacher and theater director as well as the president of the VanValkenburgh School in Los Angeles, California.
• John VanValkenburgh: John VanValkenburgh is an American visual artist and printmaker.
• Nyree Claire VanValkenburgh: Nyree Claire VanValkenburgh is a Canadian actress best known for her roles in films such as Life Of Crime and Hector And The Search For Happiness.
• Kenneth VanValkenburgh: Kenneth VanValkenburgh was an American architect who studied with Louis Sullivan and worked in New York City in the early 20th century.
• Jules Van Valkenburgh: Jules Van Valkenburgh was an American marine artist who specialized in painting American clipper ships and naval vessels.

Other surnames

Van Valkenburg