Surname Van Hook - Meaning and Origin
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Van Hook: What does the surname Van Hook mean?
The surname Van Hook is of Dutch origin, derived from the term "van Hoek", which means "from the corner" or "from the angle". The name most likely evolved from individuals who lived near a geographic corner or bend, such as in a river, road, or boundary of a piece of land. The inclusion of "van" in Dutch names typically signifies place of origin or residence. Consequently, a person named Van Hook would have been associated with a location that featured a significant corner or angle. Like many surnames, this would have been passed down through generations, eventually spreading across regions as individuals and families migrated. Over time and with English transliteration, "van Hoek" possibly became "Van Hook". It is pertinent to remember that variations of this surname exist, depending upon the specific genealogical lineage and historical spelling changes.
Order DNA origin analysisVan Hook: Where does the name Van Hook come from?
The last name Van Hook is primarily found in the United States. It is a common name in parts of the Midwest, southeastern, and northeastern states.
Van Hook is a surname derived from the Dutch "van Hoeck". It is thought to derive from the old Dutch personal name "Hoek" (corner), and the preposition "van" (of), which was used to indicate the person's place of origin.
In the United States, the most common states with the name Van Hook are Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In fact, Ohio alone accounts for over 4,450 individuals bearing the surname. Van Hook is also common in the states of Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In the United Kingdom most of the occurrences of the name are in the English counties of Kent, Hampshire, Sussex, and Surrey.
Immigrants bearing the Van Hook name can be found across various parts of the world, including Canada, Australia, and South Africa. There have been numerous occasions in which members of the Van Hook family have settled in other countries, resulting in the spread of this surname across the globe.
Variations of the surname Van Hook
The surname Van Hook is of Dutch origin and there are a variety of variant spellings and surnames that derive from it. Van Hook is typically a spelling of Van Hoeck. Other spelling variants include Van Hoke, Van Hooker, Vanhoek, Van Hoeke, and Vanoek.
Other surnames derived from Van Hook or Van Hoeck include Hook, Hoke, Hoeck, Hoek, Hoeko, Hooge, Hoes, Hoex, Honk, and Conk. For example, Johan Van Hook, of Dutch origin, could be spelled as John Hook, John Hoeck, John Hoek, or John Hooge.
Other similar surnames, spelled differently, include Van Aken, Van Dyke, Van Etten, Van Ness, Van Zandt, and MORE. These surnames are of Dutch and German origin.
The various spelling variants and surnames are a result of the migration journeys of individuals throughout the Netherlands, and later, to the United States. As people migrated, some of them changed their surname, often influenced by different languages or for personal reasons.
In addition, Van Hook is a common name in many places in the world including the US, Netherlands, France, and Sweden. This wide-spread nature of the surname makes finding its origin and its various spelling variants an ongoing research effort.
Famous people with the name Van Hook
- Robert Van Hook: van Hook is a convicted murderer who was given an unwarranted death sentence in a Ohio court in 2015.
- Jacqueline Van Hook: van Hook is the first African American to serve as editor-in-chief of Ebony magazine.
- Mart Van Hook: van Hook is an Olympic weightlifter who won a silver medal at the 1997 World Weightlifting Championships.
- Michaela Van Hook: van Hook is a renowned figure skater who won the US National Championship in 1998.
- Dave Van Hook: van Hook is a former professional baseball player who played for the San Diego Padres in the 1990s.
- Joel Van Hook: van Hook is a prominent physicist and chemist who was a Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry in 1969.
- John Van Hook: van Hook is a respected ivory craftsman who creates intricately crafted chess sets, chess pieces, and related chess memorabilia.
- Jean Van Hook: van Hook is a well-known American fashion designer and owner of several clothing boutiques.
- David Van Hook: van Hook is a Grammy-winning musician and producer who has produced music for some of the most iconic music stars of our generation.
- Alice Van Hook: van Hook was a pioneer in the field of women's education and was the first woman to receive a bachelor's degree from Wellesley Female Seminary in Massachusetts, now known as Wellesley College.