Find out how popular the last name Valkenburg is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Valkenburg.

Valkenburg, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Valkenburg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valkenburg in America

Valkenburg is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valkenburg surname appeared 128 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Valkenburg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valkenburg to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Valkenburg

The surname Valkenburg originated in the Netherlands, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Dutch place name "Valkenburg," which means "Falcon Castle" or "Falcon Stronghold." This name is believed to have been inspired by the presence of falcons in the area where the name originated.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Valkenburg can be found in a document from 1275, which mentions a person named Gerardus de Valkenburg. This individual was likely a resident of the town of Valkenburg, located in the Dutch province of Limburg.

In the 14th century, the name Valkenburg appeared in several historical records, including the Chronicles of Holland written by the historian Melis Stoke. These chronicles mention a nobleman named Willem van Valkenburg, who lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

During the 15th century, the Valkenburg family gained prominence in the Netherlands, with several members holding influential positions in the Dutch government and military. One notable figure was Dirk van Valkenburg (1424-1492), a Dutch nobleman and military commander who served as the Governor of Utrecht during the Burgundian Wars.

In the 16th century, the surname Valkenburg spread to other parts of Europe, including Germany and Belgium. One prominent individual with this name was Joannes Valkenburg (1535-1604), a Dutch Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Bishop of Leuven (Louvain) in present-day Belgium.

The 17th century saw the birth of Pieter Valkenburg (1648-1720), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works can be found in various museums across Europe, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

In the 18th century, the Valkenburg surname gained recognition in the field of science with the birth of Johann Valkenburg (1726-1798), a Dutch mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

As the surname Valkenburg spread throughout the centuries, it underwent various spelling variations, including Valckenburch, Valkenborch, and Valkenborg. However, the core meaning and origin remained tied to the Dutch town of Valkenburg and its association with falcons.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valkenburg

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Valkenburg.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Valkenburg was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Valkenburg has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Valkenburg was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Valkenburg, please contact us.

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