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

VanCleave, 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 VanCleave surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanCleave in America

VanCleave is the 8562nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanCleave surname appeared 3,847 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname VanCleave.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanCleave 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 VanCleave

The surname Vancleave originated in the Netherlands during the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch words "van" meaning "from" and "cleve" referring to the town of Cleve, located near the Dutch-German border. The name likely designated someone who hailed from this town or surrounding area.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name was spelled "van Cleve" or "van Cleef." As Dutch settlers migrated to other regions, variations in spelling arose, including Vancleave, Vancleve, and Vankleve. The first known records of the surname date back to the mid-1500s in Dutch municipal archives.

One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Jan van Cleef, a merchant from Amsterdam who was born in 1567. Another notable figure was Hendrick van Cleve, a Dutch Golden Age painter born in 1516, known for his religious works and portraits.

The name appeared in various historical records across Europe, such as church registries and tax rolls, as Dutch communities spread throughout the continent. In the 17th century, the Vancleave surname surfaced in British colonial records as Dutch settlers began arriving in North America.

One of the first recorded instances of the name in the American colonies was that of Willem Vancleave, a Dutch settler who arrived in New Amsterdam (present-day New York) in 1638. His descendants later migrated to other regions, contributing to the spread of the surname across the United States.

Another notable figure was Brigadier General Aaron Furman Vancleave (1846-1917), a Union Army officer who served in the American Civil War and later became a congressman representing Mississippi's 6th district.

Other historical figures bearing the Vancleave surname include:

1. Reverend Peter J. Vancleave (1802-1885), a prominent Baptist minister and educator in Mississippi.
2. John Vancleave (1776-1851), an early settler and landowner in Kentucky.
3. William Vancleave (1788-1865), a Methodist circuit rider and pioneer preacher in Illinois.
4. Nathaniel Vancleave (1744-1824), a Continental Army soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

While the Vancleave surname originated in the Netherlands, it has since spread across various regions and countries, with many individuals contributing to its rich history over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanCleave

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

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

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

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