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

Veenstra, 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 Veenstra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Veenstra in America

Veenstra is the 17864th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Veenstra surname appeared 1,566 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 Veenstra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Veenstra 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 Veenstra

The surname Veenstra originates from the Netherlands, with its roots dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch words "veen" meaning "peat" or "bog" and "stra" meaning "street" or "road." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an area or settlement located near a peat bog or swampy region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Veenstra can be found in the Dutch province of Friesland, where it was commonly used among the local population. The name is also closely associated with the Frisian language, which has influenced many surnames in the region.

During the Dutch Golden Age, which spanned from the late 16th to the late 17th century, the name Veenstra appeared in various historical records and documents. This period witnessed a significant expansion of Dutch trade and colonial activities, which may have contributed to the spread of the name across the Netherlands and its colonies.

Notable individuals with the surname Veenstra include Pieter Veenstra (1608-1673), a Dutch merchant and trader who played a significant role in establishing the Dutch East India Company's presence in Southeast Asia. Another prominent figure was Judith Veenstra (1745-1820), a renowned Dutch painter known for her portraits and landscape paintings.

In the 19th century, the name gained recognition through the works of Gerrit Veenstra (1818-1892), a Dutch theologian and writer who authored several influential works on Protestant theology and Christian ethics.

One of the most celebrated individuals with this surname was Jan Veenstra (1913-2006), a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II. He played a pivotal role in sabotaging Nazi operations and assisting Allied forces, for which he was awarded the prestigious Military Order of William.

Another notable figure was Maarten Veenstra (1925-2018), a Dutch politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Netherlands from 1981 to 1982.

While the surname Veenstra has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to Dutch emigration and colonization efforts. Today, the name can be found among Dutch diaspora communities in various countries, preserving its historical significance and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Veenstra

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

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

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

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