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

Vanaken, 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 Vanaken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vanaken in America

Vanaken is the 26339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vanaken surname appeared 927 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 Vanaken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vanaken 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 Vanaken

The surname VANAKEN has its origins in the Netherlands and Belgium, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the old Dutch word "aken," which means oak tree, and the prefix "van," meaning "from." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to individuals who lived near or worked with oak trees.

In the Netherlands, the earliest recorded instance of this surname can be found in the Leiden archives from 1585, where a certain Jan VANAKEN was mentioned as a resident. Additionally, a record from the city of Delft in 1602 mentions a Pieter VANAKEN.

One notable bearer of this name was Adriaan VANAKEN (1639-1714), a Dutch painter known for his still-life and genre paintings. His works can be found in various museums across Europe, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

In Belgium, the name VANAKEN was particularly prevalent in the regions of Antwerp and Brabant. The earliest documented reference to this surname in Belgium dates back to 1572, when a Joannes VANAKEN was recorded in the parish records of Lier, a town near Antwerp.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Jacobus VANAKEN (1770-1835), a Belgian politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Antwerp from 1803 to 1814. He played a significant role in the city's administration during the Napoleonic era.

In the 17th century, a variation of the name, "VANAEKEN," was found in the town of Haren, near Brussels. This spelling was likely influenced by the local dialect and pronunciation of the name.

One notable bearer of this variant was Jan VANAEKEN (1631-1698), a Flemish painter known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in churches and museums across Belgium and the Netherlands.

Other historical figures with the surname VANAKEN include:

1. Willem VANAKEN (1585-1653), a Dutch merchant and trader who established a successful business in Amsterdam.
2. Pieter VANAKEN (1612-1671), a Flemish architect and sculptor who contributed to the construction of several churches and monuments in Antwerp.
3. Anna VANAKEN (1745-1819), a Belgian author and poet who wrote extensively about life in the Brabant region during the 18th century.
4. Johannes VANAKEN (1795-1867), a Dutch theologian and professor at the University of Utrecht.
5. Marie VANAKEN (1862-1938), a Belgian artist known for her landscape paintings and portraiture.

While the surname VANAKEN may have evolved over time and across different regions, its roots can be traced back to the Netherlands and Belgium, where it has a rich historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vanaken

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

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 Vanaken 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 Vanaken 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 Vanaken was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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