Surname Vedder - Meaning and Origin

Vedder: What does the surname Vedder mean?

The last name Vedder is of Dutch origin and is derived from the Dutch word ‘vedder’ which means ‘miller’. It is a common occupational name for someone in the milling business. Historically, Vedders were found in the towns and villages close to the rivers and streams in Holland as they set up their mills near these bodies of water to take advantage of the ample water supply.

Although now dispersed throughout the world, many of the original Vedders still live in The Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Those surnamed Vedder tend to be of a Dutch Protestant background and are believed to have originated around the 14th century. Heraldically, their family crest would have been a red shield with three silver millstones representing the miller's trade.

The Vedder surname has some prominent bearers who include the American singer Eddie Vedder of the band Pearl Jam and his grandmother Lena Vedder, a Dutch noblewoman who escaped the Nazi occupation in World War II. Additionally, the surname Vedder is carried by many Dutch descended celebrities such as Dutch-American singer, songwriter, and actress Jessy Schram, Dutch-American actor Matthew Modine, and film director Kees van Oostrum, also of Dutch descent.

Vedder: Where does the name Vedder come from?

The last name Vedder is most commonly found in the Netherlands. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word 'vader' meaning father, and was likely given to those with a close relationship with an elder or a patriarch. The name can be found in the Netherlands today, and in a number of other countries where Dutch has had an influence, such as Indonesia and Surinam. The Vedder name can also be found in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium, and other European countries.

The Vedder last name may have arrived in the Americas with Dutch immigrants. These settlers arrived in the late 17th century, establishing colonies in the Delaware and Hudson Valleys, which would later become part of the United States. Before their migration, the Vedder name was not widely present in the Americas. Those bearing the surname spread westward across the continent over the following century.

For those with the surname today, it is a point of pride that they can trace their roots back to the Netherlands. With a number of notable bearers, such as Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder, the Vedder name continues to be a badge of honour for many.

Variations of the surname Vedder

The Vedder surname is derived from the Flemish word “vader”, meaning “father”. This surname is one of the most common and widely spread Dutch and Flemish surnames. There are a number of different variations and spellings of the Vedder surname, including Veder, Vedders, Vadar, Vader, Vetter, Vetters, Wetter, Fetters, Feter, Feters, Fetter, Fetters, Fedders, Fetterman, Fedderman and Feddermann.

The Vedder surname can also be found in countries outside the Netherlands and Flanders, such as Germany, where it is spelled “Fedder” or “Feddermann”, and England, where it is spelled “Vetter”. In some cases, the spelling has been altered to reflect a local pronunciation of the name. In the Netherlands, for example, “v” is pronounced as “f” when it is preceded by a consonant, so “Vedders” could become “Fedders”.

The Vedder surname is fairly common among the Dutch, so it is not surprising to find that it has been adopted by people from other parts of the world as well, including the United States. Most Americans with this surname can trace their ancestry back to Dutch immigrants. Some have also been known to come from Belgian, Luxembourg and German heritage.

Despite the numerous variants and spellings, all of these surnames all ultimately trace their roots back to the same source: the Flemish word “vader”. It is no wonder that this surname has spread far and wide, with so many different people and countries finding their own ways of spelling it.

Famous people with the name Vedder

• Eddie Vedder: Eddie Vedder is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist best known as the lead singer of the grunge rock band, Pearl Jam. He is widely credited with popularizing the Seattle grunge scene and was a leader for the wave of alternative rock bands of the 1990s.
• Dave Vedder: Dave Vedder is an American rock musician and record producer. He performed as the lead singer and drummer in the band Bad Habitz.
• Julian Vedder: Julian Vedder is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the former bassist of the band Pearl Jam.
• Abe Vedder: Abe Vedder is an American artist and printmaker based in Seattle, Washington. He primarily works in woodcut prints, linoleum blocks, and large-scale installations.
• Kit Vedder: Kit Vedder is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pianist best known as the lead vocalist of the acoustic/folk duo The Brothers Vedder.
• Birger Vedder: Birger Vedder was an American sculptor who worked mainly in wood. He is best known for his tall totem-like carvings made out of wood.
• J.P. Vedder: J.P. Vedder is an American jazz saxophonist. He is best known for his work in the avant-garde jazz group Human Feel.
• Arthur Vedder: Arthur Vedder was an American marine painter, illustrator and writer. He was known for his illustration of nautical scenes, as well as his paintings of the U.S. Navy in the 1930s.

Other surnames

VeddeVeddelerVeddermann