Surname Douw - Meaning and Origin

Douw: What does the surname Douw mean?

The last name Douw is of Dutch origin. It was derived from the Dutch word “douwe” which could be translated to “bold” or “brave.” In the Netherlands, the surname has been recorded since the 13th century. Originally, the Douw family were powerful landowners, however its scope spread to many other areas from the 16th century onwards, such as government positions, trade and industry.

Douw is a fairly common Dutch surname; it is estimated that there are currently approximately 13,000 people with this naming. It can often be found in its alternative spelling – “de Vries”, which was popular in the late 19th and 20th century. Although this spelling gave way to the more common form; “Douw” is still found in many countries around the world.

Today, people who possess the last name Douw are proud to do so. The surname symbolizes strength, courage and intelligence, which are all characteristics associated with the name. People with the Douw name tend to aspire to greatness and to achieve success in whatever field of endeavour they pursue. This is probably why the surname Douw has been successful throughout the years and continues to be so today.

Douw: Where does the name Douw come from?

The last name Douw is most commonly found in the Netherlands today, where it is mainly concentrated in the provinces of Friesland, South Holland, and Utrecht. According to the Voornamenbank, the name is most densely concentrated in the towns of Utrecht, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague.

The name Douw is derived from the given name "Doeke," which was a given first name also found in Friesland in the Middle Ages. This name was Latinized in records and documents as "Dudius" or "Dudde." Over time, this was shortened into "Douwe" and "Douw," which eventually became a surname used by consecutive generations.

The last name Douw can also sometimes be found in the United States, where it was brought by Dutch immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Douw surname is mainly scattered across the states of New York, California, and Michigan. It's also present, albeit rarely, in numerous other states across the country.

Variations of the surname Douw

The surname Douw is of Dutch origin. It is derived from the Dutch personal name "Dubo," which was a short form of "Dudo," which was a derivative of "Theodoric." Variations of this surname include Dubo, Duboe, Douwe, Duw, Duwe, and Dowe. Variants of this surname in other languages can be Doowe, Duwé, Dubois, and Debouwt.

In recent years, a few other derivations of Douw have emerged in the Netherlands and Belgium. For example, the Dutch surnames "Doek" and "Doekes" derive from the same root as Douw. In Belgium, the name "Doubaert" comes from the same etymological background.

There are regional variants of this surname. These include Douwy, D'Ouw, Duw, and Duwy in Belgium, and Dou, Douwe, Duy, and Duyvy in the Netherlands. Some other variants of this name that have been found in records are "Doo, Dow, Douff, Doum, Dowey, Doyal, and Doyl."

Douw is also a patronymic surname, meaning that its bearers are named after their father, or sometimes their grandfather. A few of its variants are patronymic as well, including Dubay, Douglass, Duwe, Dool, and Duyts.

The Douw surname is relatively rare around the world. Currently, it is concentrated in Belgium, the Netherlands, parts of England and Scotland, Canada, and the United States.

Famous people with the name Douw

• Cornelius Douw: Dutch settler of Mannahatta in 1640
• Anna Douw: Dutch settler of Mannahatta in 1642
• Petrus Douw: founder of Douw & Dik Bank in the early 19th century
• Amy Douw: American actress
• Louise Douw: Dutch filmmaker
• Johannes Douw van der Kooi: Dutch professor of Byzantine studies
• Hans Douw: Dutch abstract painter
• Willem Douw van der Kooi: Dutch professor of art history
• Derk Douw: Dutch 80s singer
• Gysbert Douwesz: Dutch bargeowner in the 18th century and trading tycoon
• Jan Douw: Dutch architect
• François Douw: South African lawyer and novelist
• Albert Douw: Dutch journalist and politician
• Geertruida Douw: Dutch nanny and nurse
• Gideon Douw: Dutch grocer and wine trader in the 18th century
• Ben Douw: Dutch historical geographer
• Johannes Douwesen: Dutch music conductor
• Floris Douwesen: Dutch nobleman in the 16th century
• Gooitzen Douwes: Dutch 19th century sailor
• Joost Douwesen: Dutch historical art collector

Other surnames

DouDoucaiDoucéDoucetDouceteDoucettDoucetteDouchetDouctDoudDoudleDoudyDouertDougdaleDougherDoughertyDoughtenDoughtieDoughtonDoughtyDouglasDouglassDoulcetDoulenDoullDoulleDoultonDousait