Surname Van Pelt - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
Van Pelt: What does the surname Van Pelt mean?
The surname Van Pelt is of Dutch origin, which when translated into English, literally means "from Pelt." This is an example of a toponymic surname, which is a surname derived from a place name. The "Van" denotes "from," while "Pelt" is believed to refer to a location. Pelt once was a separate municipality located in Belgian Limburg, and today it makes part of the municipality of Neerpelt and Overpelt. As such, the surname Van Pelt would suggest that a person or their ancestor hailed from Pelt. As with many surnames of this nature, it would have been adopted to identify a person who had moved to a new location, helping distinguish them from others who bore the same first name. Therefore, the name Van Pelt carries a historical geographical significance linking it to a specific area in Belgium.
Order DNA origin analysisVan Pelt: Where does the name Van Pelt come from?
The last name Van Pelt is most commonly found in the Netherlands today. Although the surname originated in the Netherlands and is primarily Dutch by origin, the Van Pelt family has spread across the world over including countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The earliest record of the van Pelt family in the Netherlands was in the early 1600s. The family undoubtedly made their way to America and other places by way of immigration or during religious migrations in the 1600s and 1700s.
Today, the Netherlands seems to be the place where there are the most people living with the surname Van Pelt. In 2020, it was estimated that there were more than 13,000 people living with the Van Pelt surname in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is not the only place where individuals with the Van Pelt surname can be found. In the United States, it was estimated that there were more than 9,000 people living with the Van Pelt surname in 2020. The states with the largest populations of people living with the surname include Michigan, California, New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
Van Pelts have also made their mark on many places, contributing to the culture and ethnicity of places they came to occupy. For example, many Van Pelts today hold Dutch and American nationalities and have made the Van Pelt family prominent both in the Netherlands and in the United States.
Variations of the surname Van Pelt
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Van Pelt include VannPelt, VanPelt, Vandepelt, Van der Pelt, VanDielen, Van Den Pelt, Van DePelt and Van de Pelt. Similarly, the surname can also be spelled as Vannepelt, Van Dompsel, Vannoppelt, Vannopelt and Van Noppen. Additionally, other surnames of the same origin include Van Plet, Vandepol and Van der Pool.
Van Pelt is a Dutch variant of Vannepelt, which derived from the Middle Dutch words ‘van’ meaning 'of’, and ‘vannepelt’ meaning 'millpond'. This origin of the surname suggests that those bearing it once either lived near a millpond or came from a village that was once located near a millpond. Alternately, it is also believed to originate from a Dutch nickname for someone who lived near or on a millpond.
The surname Van Pelt was incredibly popular in the Netherlands until the late 18th century and is still common in many Dutch-speaking provinces. It is also prevalent in many other parts of the world, including Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Britain, where it was historically part of the Dutch diaspora.
Today, the Van Pelt surname is often used interchangeably with the Van der Pelt and Vandepelt variants, although some may prefer one spelling of the same basic surname over the other. Additionally, many of these surname variants are relatively uncommon in the United States, where most people bearing them are of Dutch or European descent.
Famous people with the name Van Pelt
- Tom Van Pelt: retired American professional soccer player.
- Jon Van Pelt: professional Disc Golf player.
- Calvin Van Pelt: character created and voiced by actor and comedian Rob Belushi in the animated film Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018).
- Stuart Lynn Van Pelt: American actor and author.
- Eric Van Pelt: American TV producer and director.
- Meyer Zemlo Van Pelt: Belgian statesman, ambassador, and military leader during the 18th century.
- Rembrandt van Rijn van Pelt: Dutch master painter.
- Joris Van Pelt: Dutch Revolutionary War hero.
- Pollux van Pelt: actor who featured in several Dutch TV shows.
- Emmy van Pelt: Dutch novelist and short story writer.
- Bob Van Pelt: American singer and songwriter.
- Liz Van Pelt: British actress and activist.
- Merit van Pelt: Dutch chess grandmaster.
- Klaas van Pelt: Dutch physician, educator, and writer.
- Hendrik van Pelt: Dutch Golden Age painter.
- Willem van Pelt: Dutch sculptor.
- Franklin van Pelt: Dutch theologian.
- Aat van Pelt: Dutch football manager.
- Jen van Pelt: Dutch film director and producer.
- Christian Gottfried van Pelt: German art historian and archaeologist.