Surname VanGelder - Meaning and Origin
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VanGelder: What does the surname VanGelder mean?
The surname VanGelder is of Dutch origin and it is derived from the Dutch words “van” and “gelder” which translate to “from” and “banker” respectively. This suggests that most of the bearers of this surname were bankers originally, as money was transferred through the Gelder river in a Dutch region of the same name.
The first documented instance of the VanGelder surname dates back to 1762, when Gerrit Jan van Gelder registered in the Dutch Town of Harderwijk. In the 19th century, numerous people left the Netherlands and moved to America due to economic conditions. As a result, the surname can be found in such places as New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and California.
The name is also associated with a variety of spellings, which could have further spread families bearing this name when some adopted a different spelling over time. Spellings such as VanGeldon and VanGelderen are both derived from the same source, with one spelling simply being more commonly used than the other.
In modern times, the VanGelder surname is most closely associated with talented jazz recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, who has earned numerous awards over his long career, and who has worked with legendary musicians such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
Overall, it is clear that the VanGelder surname is a time-honored one with a long and varied history. Those bearing this name may take pride in knowing that it likely originated from the monetary profession of banking and serves as a reminder of the many individuals who came before.
Order DNA origin analysisVanGelder: Where does the name VanGelder come from?
The last name VanGelder is most common in the Netherlands, especially in the southernmost province of Zeeland. In the Netherlands, the name is believed to have originated in the area where the Gelder River runs through eastern Zeeland. The presence of VanGelder in the Netherlands, however, dates back to the Middle Ages. The name has been around since the 13th century when Dutch nobles assumed the title of VanGelder.
Today, VanGelder can be found in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States. It is especially prevalent in the Netherlands, where it is ranked 45th out of the country’s 100 most common surnames. In the US, it is more uncommon, ranking around No. 7,091 in terms of frequency of occurrence. The surnames closest to VanGelder in the US include Vandermeulen, Vanderlugt, Vandenbosch, and Vanderpol.
Outside of the Netherlands, the VanGelder name can also be seen in places like Australia and Canada, as well as South American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. It is particularly common in Canadian provinces such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. As a result, VanGelder is a fairly widely spread global name.
Variations of the surname VanGelder
The VanGelder surname has numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Van Gelder, VanGelderen, Vangelderen, Van Gelderen, Van Gelder, Vangilder, VanGeldhoen and Van Gelderse.
The earliest possible variant of this surname is the Dutch Van Gelder, which literally translated means 'From Gelder', referring to the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. This was likely adopted as a surname as far back as the 12th century. Variations of the name began cropping up as people settled in different parts of Europe over the following centuries.
The Dutch VanGeldhoen and VanGelderen come from the same root word, as do VanGelderse. These variations often adopted when members of the family immigrated to other countries and spelling conventions in those countries became standard.
Variations like Vangilder are of the same origin, but likely adopted once the family had relocated to the English-speaking world where easier spellings of foreign words have been used throughout history.
Although the origin of the VanGelder surname itself can be traced back hundreds of years, it is likely that different spellings may denote separate family lines that already existed prior to the Vangelder spelling. The best way to determine family lineage is to trace back records from the dentist country all the way to the point of origin.
Famous people with the name VanGelder
- Rudy Van Gelder: Rudy Van Gelder (1924-2016) was a legendary jazz recording engineer and producer. He was responsible for recording and producing jazz albums by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, and many other jazz greats.
- Jim Van Gelder: Jim Van Gelder (born 1965) is a Dutch entrepreneur who is the founder of SENS Research Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching, developing, and promoting regenerative medicine.
- Jacqueline Van Gelder: Jacqueline Van Gelder (born 1962) is a Dutch journalist and television presenter. She is best known for her show “De wereld draait door” which is on the Nederland 2 channel.
- D. Van Gelder: D. Van Gelder (1901-1986) was a Dutch philosopher, theologian, and author. He is the author of several books, including “The Nature and Insertion of Christianity in Contemporary Secularism” and “Beyond the Light of Post-Modernity”.
- Wim Van Gelder: Wim Van Gelder (born 1943) is a Dutch film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing the feature film “Dagboek van een herder” which was released in 1983.
- Stan Van Gelder: Stan Van Gelder (born 1946) is an American music executive and producer. He co-founded the record label Impulse! Records in 1960 and is the producer of numerous jazz and blues albums.
- Michiel Van Gelder: Michiel Van Gelder (born 1961) is a Dutch businessman and entrepreneur. He is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of the financial technology company Pythagoras Investment Management.
- Barbara van Gelder: Barbara van Gelder (born in 1973) is a Dutch politician. She is a member of the Dutch Labour Party and is the Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2017.
- Daniël Van Gelder: Daniël Van Gelder (born 1938) is a Dutch sport shooter who won a silver medal for the country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. He is the first Dutch-Jewish Olympian.