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

Vermeer, 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 Vermeer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vermeer in America

Vermeer is the 23555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vermeer surname appeared 1,078 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 Vermeer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vermeer 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 Vermeer

The surname Vermeer is of Dutch origin, deriving from the Dutch words "ver" meaning "far" and "meer" meaning "lake" or "sea." It likely originated in the Netherlands during the medieval period, referring to individuals residing near a distant body of water.

Historically, the name Vermeer can be traced back to the 15th century in various Dutch records and documents. One of the earliest known references is found in a 1462 census record from the city of Delft, listing a certain Jan Vermeer as a resident.

In the 16th century, the name appears in several municipal archives and church registers across the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Holland and Utrecht. Notable individuals from this period include Dirck Jacobsz Vermeer, a painter from Delft born around 1580.

The 17th century saw the rise of one of the most renowned figures associated with this surname, the Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675). His works, such as "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and "The Milkmaid," are celebrated masterpieces of the Dutch Baroque period.

Another notable bearer of the name was the Dutch astronomer and mathematician Robertus Vermeer (1714-1789), who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

In the 19th century, the Vermeer surname gained prominence in the Netherlands through individuals like the Dutch writer and poet Jan Vermeer (1843-1899) and the Dutch politician and statesman Daniël Vermeer (1865-1937), who served as the Minister of Finance and Minister of Agriculture, Industry, and Trade.

As the Dutch diaspora spread across the globe, the Vermeer name traveled with them. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various parts of the world, including South Africa, the United States, and Australia.

Throughout its history, the Vermeer surname has been associated with a diverse range of professions and fields, from the arts and sciences to politics and literature, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Netherlands and its people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vermeer

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

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

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

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