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

VanMeter, 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 VanMeter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanMeter in America

VanMeter is the 4281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanMeter surname appeared 8,305 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname VanMeter.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanMeter 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 VanMeter

The surname VANMETER is of Dutch origin, derived from the occupational term "van meter," which translates to "from the measurer" or "surveyor." It is believed to have emerged in the 16th or 17th century when surnames based on occupations became commonplace in the Netherlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VANMETER can be found in the Dutch city of Leiden, where a record from 1624 mentions a certain Cornelis Jansz van Meter. This suggests that the name was already in use by the early 17th century.

In the late 17th century, the VANMETER surname began to appear in various regions of the Dutch Republic, including the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. It is possible that some VAN Meters were involved in surveying and mapmaking activities, which were crucial for the development of the Dutch maritime trade and colonial expansion.

As the Dutch colonized various parts of the world, including the Americas, the VANMETER surname likely traveled with them. One of the earliest known bearers of the name in North America was Jacob Van Meter, who was born around 1680 in the Netherlands and later settled in the Virginia Colony in the early 18th century.

Another notable figure was John Van Meter, a Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Kentucky, who was born in 1737 in New Jersey. He played a role in the exploration and settlement of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.

In the 19th century, the VANMETER surname gained prominence in various parts of the United States. One notable individual was John Van Meter (1804-1859), a politician and judge from Ohio who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Another significant figure was Isaac Van Meter (1807-1876), a prominent businessman and industrialist from Indiana. He was involved in the early development of the railroad industry and played a crucial role in the growth of Indianapolis.

Lastly, Gerrit Van Meter (1820-1897) was a Dutch-American painter and artist who gained recognition for his landscape and genre paintings depicting scenes from rural life in the Netherlands.

While the VANMETER surname has its roots in the Netherlands and was initially associated with the occupation of surveying or measuring, it eventually spread to other regions and became more widely adopted as a family name, with various variations in spelling emerging over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanMeter

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

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

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

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