2000
#35,916
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 591
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.22
Very Rare Last name
Vanvoorst
A Dutch locational surname referring to someone from the village of Voorst.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 807 Americans carry the last name Vanvoorst. That puts it at #34,625 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 424,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vanvoorst surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
807
1 in 424,727
Census rank
#34,625
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
704
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 704 bearers of the surname Vanvoorst in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34625th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanvoorst, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vanvoorst
The surname VANVOORST is of Dutch origin, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Dutch words "van" meaning "from," and "voorst," referring to a small town or village called Voorst in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands.
The earliest recorded use of the name VANVOORST can be found in the Dutch baptismal records from the late 1500s. It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, given to individuals who hailed from the town of Voorst or its surrounding areas.
In the early 17th century, a notable individual named Johannes VANVOORST (1585-1647) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Amsterdam. His successful trading ventures and land acquisitions contributed to the prosperity of his family lineage.
Another historical figure bearing this surname was Gerrit VANVOORST (1723-1792), a renowned artist from the Dutch Golden Age. His landscapes and portraiture works are preserved in various museums across Europe, showcasing the artistic talents associated with this Dutch surname.
During the 18th century, the VANVOORST family expanded beyond the Netherlands, with some members migrating to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable individual was Pieter VANVOORST (1760-1832), who settled in South Africa and became a successful farmer and landowner in the Cape Colony.
In the 19th century, the VANVOORST surname gained recognition in the field of academia. Willem VANVOORST (1812-1887) was a respected professor of linguistics at the University of Leiden, contributing significantly to the study of Dutch language and literature.
As the VANVOORST family dispersed across different regions, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. Some alternative spellings included VANVOORSTE, VANVOIRST, and VANVOORSTE, reflecting the linguistic adaptations and regional influences over time.
While the VANVOORST surname has its roots firmly planted in the Netherlands, its rich history and the accomplishments of its bearers have left an indelible mark on various aspects of society, from art and commerce to academia and exploration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vanvoorst
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanvoorst, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Vanvoorst bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Vanvoorst surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 666
- Two or more races2.1% · 15
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 8
- Black or African American0.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vanvoorst
Vanvoorst appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#33,990
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 669
+78 bearers (+13.2%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Up 1,926 places
2020
#34,625
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 704
+35 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Down 635 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #35,916 | 591 | 0.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #33,990 | 669 | 0.23 | +78 bearers (+13.2%) | Up 1,926 places |
| 2020 | #34,625 | 704 | 0.24 | +35 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 635 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Vanvoorst surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,990 | #34,625 | -1.9% |
| Count | 669 | 704 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.24 | 2.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vanvoorst bearers went from 669 to 704 (+5.2% change). The surname moved down 635 positions in the national ranking, going from #33,990 to #34,625.
FAQ
Vanvoorst surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vanvoorst?
Name Census estimates that about 807 living Americans carry the surname Vanvoorst. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 424,727 residents.
How common is Vanvoorst?
Vanvoorst ranks #34,625 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 704 people with the surname Vanvoorst. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (807), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.24 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Vanvoorst.
Has Vanvoorst become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vanvoorst went from 669 recorded bearers to 704. That is an increase of 35 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #33,990 to #34,625.
What does the Census say about the background of Vanvoorst?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanvoorst, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Vanvoorst in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (666 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vanvoorst appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Two or More Races (2.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Vanvoorst (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Vanvoorst mean?
A Dutch locational surname referring to someone from the village of Voorst. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Vanvoorst (0.24 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Vanvoorst?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.