VanZanten last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of VanZanten

A Dutch occupational surname meaning "from Zanten", referring to origins in a place called Zanten.

VanZanten, 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 VanZanten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanZanten in America

VanZanten is the 36585th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanZanten surname appeared 611 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 VanZanten.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanZanten 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 36585 37640 -2.84%
Count 611 556 9.43%
Proportion per 100k 0.21 0.21 0.00%

The history of the last name VanZanten

The surname VANZANTEN is of Dutch origin, originating in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. The name is derived from a geographic location, specifically the town of Zanten, which is located in the province of South Holland. The prefix "van" means "from" in Dutch, indicating that the original bearer of the name hailed from this particular town.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VANZANTEN surname can be found in the medieval Dutch records known as the "Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland," which dates back to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Johannes van Zanten," suggesting that the name was already in use during that time period.

Throughout history, the VANZANTEN surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as "Van Zanten," "Vanzanten," and "Van Zante." These variations were often a result of regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping practices of the time.

Historically, several notable individuals have borne the VANZANTEN surname. One such person was Pieter van Zanten (1537-1594), a Dutch merchant and statesman who played a significant role in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. Another noteworthy figure was Jacob van Zanten (1611-1669), a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscapes and architectural scenes.

In the 18th century, Dirk van Zanten (1705-1782) was a prominent Dutch navigator and explorer who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia). His voyages and cartographic work were highly influential during that era.

Moving into the 19th century, Willem van Zanten (1843-1912) was a Dutch politician and jurist who served as the Minister of Justice in the Netherlands from 1901 to 1905. He played a crucial role in shaping the country's legal system during that period.

Another notable bearer of the VANZANTEN surname was Johan van Zanten (1873-1945), a Dutch naval officer who achieved the rank of Vice Admiral in the Royal Netherlands Navy. He served during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, contributing to the country's maritime defense and naval operations.

The VANZANTEN surname has a rich history deeply rooted in the Netherlands, spanning centuries and encompassing individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, artists, explorers, politicians, and military personnel. Its origins can be traced back to a specific geographic location, reflecting the Dutch tradition of using place names as surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanZanten

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

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 VanZanten was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.80% 567
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.31% 8
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.98% 6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.47% 9
Hispanic Origin 3.44% 21

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 VanZanten has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.80% 94.42% -1.73%
Black 1.31% 1.44% -9.45%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.98% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.47% 1.62% -9.71%
Hispanic 3.44% 2.16% 45.71%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"VanZanten last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 25, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/vanzanten-surname-popularity/.

"VanZanten last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/vanzanten-surname-popularity/. Accessed 25 November, 2024

VanZanten last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/vanzanten-surname-popularity/.

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