Surname Westendorp - Meaning and Origin
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Westendorp: What does the surname Westendorp mean?
The last name Westendorp is of Dutch origin and is primarily found in the Netherlands. The surname was likely derived from the Dutch words ‘west’ and ‘dorp’, which when combined translates to ‘western village’. It is believed to have originally been borne by the descendants of someone who lived in a village located in the western part of a region in the Netherlands located close to the province of Gelderland.
The surname could have also originated from a Dutch locational name for a person who resided in an area near the borders of the Netherlands. The region was known by the name ‘Westdeventer’ which is a combined word of ‘west’, ‘dorp’ (which means village in Dutch) and ‘venter’ (which was an additional word used to specify a particular region in the Netherlands).
The first recorded instance of the surname Westendorp was in 1625 in the city of Kampen, located in the province of Overijssel in the Netherlands. It is also possible that the name was adopted by immigrants from the Netherlands to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.
Today, Westendorp is a common surname throughout the Netherlands and is also known to be used in Australia, Canada, the United States, and various other countries.
Order DNA origin analysisWestendorp: Where does the name Westendorp come from?
The surname Westendorp is primarily found in the Netherlands. It is most common in the province of Friesland located in the northern part of the country, where it is among the top 18 surnames. The name is also found in significantly lesser numbers in other Dutch provinces, Belgium, France, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The origins of the name Westendorp are believed to be from the old Frisian term “West” meaning “west” and “dorp” which means “village or hamlet.” This puts the likely origin of the name to describe a village situated to the west.
It is estimated that approximately 2,000 people in the Netherlands bear the name Westendorp and the percentage of those bearing the name is much higher in Friesland, where it is estimated that between 0.2 – 1 percent of the total provincial population uses the name.
In the United States, Westendorp is a much less common name, but it is estimated that there are a few thousand people living there who carry the name. It is mainly found on the east coast, in states like Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York. Outside the US, Australia, Canada, and France also have many people with the last name Westendorp.
Variations of the surname Westendorp
Westendorp is a Dutch surname with various spellings that include Wastendorp, Vastendorp, Westerdorp, Westendorf, Westendorp, Vastdorpp, Wastendorp, and Westendorp. Some variants include Vastenop, Vestenorp, Wesendof, and Vestenorp.
The origins of the surname Westendorp are unknown, though it is believed to have been derived from a personal name of early Dutch settlers. It might also be derived from a place name based on the Old German 'westen' meaning 'west' and 'dorp' meaning 'free village', indicating someone who lived in the west part of the village.
The earliest recorded use of the surname was in 1212 in the Netherlands, and since then, the Westendorp surname traveled to other parts of Europe, North America, and Australia.
Westendorp can also be used as a given name. It was very popular in the early 1900s as a first name for boys and girls in the Netherlands, especially in the central and western parts of the country.
The current distribution of Westendorp names is primarily concentrated in the Netherlands, followed by Belgium, Germany, and the United States, in that order. Today, the most common variation of the surname is still Westendorp.
Famous people with the name Westendorp
- Alison Westendorp: Canadian rifle shooter and multiple-time national and Commonwealth Games silver medalist.
- Gerrit Westendorp: Dutch painter, known for his landscapes and cityscapes.
- Jeroen Westendorp: Retired professional footballer and current manager of the Dutch amateur side VV GOES.
- Marc Westendorp: Retired Dutch footballer who played for FC Utrecht and Ajax.
- Lucas Westendorp: Norwegian Paralympic swimmer who has won the gold medal in the 100 m freestyle at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.
- Robert Westendorp: Former Canadian football player who played in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
- Tim Westendorp: Dutch cross-country skier who competed for Netherlands at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
- Bart Westendorp: Dutch poet, winner of the C. Buddingh’ Prize in 2009.
- Jeroen Westendorp: Dutch professional gambler and poker player.
- Bastiaan Westendorp: Dutch professional cycling driver currently competing for Lotto-Soudal.